The Phoenix Suns entered the NBA trade deadline looking for reinforcements around their trio of stars. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, they were able to find that by calling up the Brooklyn Nets and working out a deadline deal for the second year in a row.
Charania brought word that Phoenix acquired three-and-D wing Royce O’Neale in a deal that would cost them three second-round picks. And that’s not all, as the Memphis Grizzlies are getting in on the fun and sending David Roddy to Phoenix, as well.
Brooklyn is finalizing a trade sending Royce O’Neale to Phoenix for salaries and three second-round picks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. pic.twitter.com/sSSXacDYVz
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2024
Memphis is sending David Roddy to the Suns for a pick swap as part of a three-way with Phoenix and Brooklyn, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Suns pick up O'Neale and Roddy for their postseason rotation.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2024
According to John Gambadoro, the Suns will send a handful of end of the rotation players out, as Chimezie Metu, Yuta Watanabe, Keita Bates-Diop, and Jordan Goodwin depart Phoenix in the deal for O’Neale and Roddy.
Suns are sending out Metu, Goodwin, Yuta, KBD
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) February 8, 2024
Phoenix was closely linked to a move for Miles Bridges before it was reported that he won’t waive his ability to veto a trade. It is unclear if the team was going to pursue O’Neale and/or Roddy prior to that, but regardless, both of these players should give them the sorts of wings with defensive chops that they could use around Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant.
O’Neale is averaging 7.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game for the Nets on 38.8/36.6/68.2 shooting splits this season. Roddy, meanwhile, is at 8.4 pints and 4.2 rebounds in 23.2 minutes per game for the Grizzlies, but has struggled to hit shots from behind the three-point line, as he’s connected on only 30.1 percent of them this year.
