The Phoenix Suns made the biggest trade acquisition of the deadline back in February, dealing Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and picks to Brooklyn to bring Kevin Durant to the desert. That didn’t yield the postseason run they were hoping for, as they got dumped out of the second round by the eventual champion Nuggets in a series that showed the Suns they needed to make some more changes this summer to add the needed depth around Durant and Devin Booker.
While most were thinking about role player depth, the Suns were thinking about adding another star and went out and got Bradley Beal from Washington, sending Chris Paul back in return. That meant free agency was about trying to add that role depth on a budget, and they did about as well as one could’ve hoped signing a number of vet minimum deals, albeit there is one major question still unanswered on this roster. With Durant, Booker, Beal, and Deandre Ayton back (although, not for a lack of trying to trade him) and a solid supporting cast on paper, the Suns are among the favorites in the West. How it all comes together remains to be seen, but for a franchise that once was rarely willing to spend, the start of the Mat Ishbia ownership era has been a welcome sight in Phoenix.
Here we’ll grade out the Suns offseason moves from the Draft, free agency and contract extensions, and on the trade market.
Draft: LOL
James Jones laughs at the concept of the Draft. The Suns traded every second rounder they had in the Beal deal and have since given up even more pick swaps to ensure the few years they do have a first, they’re guaranteed for just about the latest possible pick. It’s hard to argue with the premise though when you can pair Booker and Durant (and now Beal), but their draft strategy (or lack thereof) does mean they have to nail the vet minimum market every year.
Free Agency/Contract Extensions: B+
The good news this year was the Suns were, without question, the most coveted destination for players signing a minimum deal, and that meant they were able to scoop up some legitimately strong rotation players. In the opening hours of free agency they had signed Drew Eubanks, Keita Bates-Diop, Chimezie Metu, and Yuta Watanabe, while re-signing Josh Okogie and Damion Lee. Their biggest signing though was adding Eric Gordon, who has long been a rumored Suns target but finally lands in Phoenix after being waived by the Clippers prior to the start of free agency. Gordon gives them a legit sixth man option off the bench, something they lacked last year, and the rest of the roster has filled out nicely. Eubanks is a solid Jock Landale replacement, after he got big money in Houston, while Bates-Diop seems likely to step into the Torrey Craig role on the wing. Metu is more frontcourt depth, Okogie brings them some needed defensive versatility in the backcourt and on the wing, and Watanabe joins Lee as good floor-spacing options off the bench. They also made a lottery ticket signing with Bol Bol, who has tantalizing abilities but has never fully put it together. He won’t have a ton of opportunity in Phoenix, but that also could be good for him to have limited minutes to go all out without worrying about pacing himself. Given the resources they had, the Suns did well this summer. The only issue is they still haven’t really addressed the whole “not having a real point guard” thing, which is why they will stay at a B+. They have plenty of capable ball-handlers, but it remains to be seen if handing Booker and Beal the keys to run the offense almost entirely will yield the maximum output.
Trades: A
Anytime you can trade for a very good player without having to give up a great asset in return, you’ve done very well for yourself. Beal is an upgrade over this current version of Chris Paul, who just was not able to have the needed impact last year in the postseason, leaving Booker and Durant with an immense creation burden on offense. Beal will not replace Paul’s ability to orchestrate an offense, but his ability to play on and off the ball and impact the game as a scorer is far ahead of where Paul is right now. It will be interesting to see how he and Booker handle the lead guard duties, as losing Paul and trading Cameron Payne to the Spurs leaves them without a real point guard. I expect there to be some bumps along the way, but the potential of this team offensively is truly incredible. Aside from keeping the offense flowing enough to keep guys like Ayton and [insert fifth guy out there] engaged, Beal’s impact as three-point shooter is the main question that will determine how effective this offense will be. He had a better year last year (36.5 percent from three), but after coming into the league as a sharpshooter has seen his efficiency dip over his career (as he’s gotten much more effective inside the arc). His ability to apply rim pressure will be huge for an offense that’s lacked it, but given Booker and Durant’s propensity for operating in the midrange, Beal figures to get ample opportunity in catch-and-shoot situations as well. If he’s elite at that as he was early in his career, this offense will be a true nightmare. If not, it will take at least a little bit of the bite out of it.
While the Beal trade was big, not trading Ayton is almost just as interesting. He did not see eye-to-eye with Monty Williams and it was widely assumed he’d be gone, but with Williams gone and Frank Vogel apparently all-in on Ayton, he has a chance at a fresh start in Phoenix. Getting Ayton to buy in will be, in my opinion, Vogel’s biggest task. Ayton is the only player on the roster capable of anchoring the defense, and he and Durant have the potential to be an elite frontcourt defensive tandem (Durant’s defense has been widely underrated for some time). However, that only works if Ayton’s engaged and that’s a real question as he figures to get even fewer touches with Beal taking Paul’s place on the roster. If he can buy in to being a dominant cleanup man around the rim, finishing lobs and attacking the glass on offense and being a strong rim protector on the other end, the Suns will be a true force. If not and he sulks, their defense could be a bit flammable.
The Suns are rightfully a favorite entering the year, but this isn’t a roster without flaws or a team without questions. They also probably aren’t done making moves, as I would expect them to seek out a point guard at some point before the deadline (or buyout market) closes. For now, they’re as fascinating a group as there is in the league and, if nothing else, they’ll be very fun to watch and see how it all comes together.
