The Phoenix Suns are one of the more interesting teams in the NBA as we head into the 2024 offseason. The team has its core in place with the three-headed monster of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal. Phoenix isn’t in a great place salary cap-wise so they will likely have to rely on minimum signings to build a roster around the star players. The Suns did this last season and it resulted in them being swept out of the first round of the postseason by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But Phoenix is hopeful that another year together will make a difference. They also brought in a new coach, ex-Milwaukee Bucks title winner Mike Budenholzer, to try to turn things around.
Phoenix owns the No. 22 pick in the first round of the upcoming NBA Draft as well, giving them a chance to possibly add some young, cheap talent. However, the draft plans of the Suns have been all over the place and now it’s being reported that they could be looking to trade down.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Phoenix may be looking to move down to gain additional draft assets since they are so strapped currently.
“Further along the first round, NBA personnel also consider Phoenix a strong candidate to trade down from the No. 22 pick. The Suns are famously low on additional draft capital and future assets after splurging to acquire Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal,” Fischer writes.
“If Phoenix can find avenues to move down in the first round, while picking up additional second-round picks, the Suns could wisely find more future ammo to make trades down the line, while also adding several rookie salaries onto a very expensive roster, which would prove quite prudent considering Phoenix’s lofty payroll and incoming luxury tax bill,” Fischer continues.
If Phoenix does end up trading down to gain extra picks, it could signal that they may be looking at a specific player. The Suns have been one of the only teams that has been granted the chance to work out former USC Trojans guard Bronny James, son of Los Angeles Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James, and there is interest in them drafting him. However, taking James at pick No. 22 wouldn’t make sense, given that he didn’t have a very good first year in college and looks like a raw project.
But if the Suns were able to add some second-round picks, the likelihood of James being taken increases, especially with the Suns being one of the only teams to have a meeting with James.
While this doesn’t guarantee that the Suns will target James, it’s an interesting thought, to say the least. Along with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Suns have been the only teams to meet with James to this point and many around the industry believe that James will be taken somewhere in the second round. The Suns could be an interesting spot for James if they were to take him, especially given that they could use all the cheap talent that they can get.
Uncommon Knowledge
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