Fresh off their massive, five-year, $70-million extension for restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe, the Suns also bought out Slovenian guard, Zoran Dragic, from Unicaja Málaga of the Spanish League. Zoran is of course the brother of point guard Goran Dragic. Phoenix general manager Ryan McDonough also said they’ll have plenty of money next summer to offer Goran a lucrative new deal after he opts out.
Rafael Molina Guerra of La Opinión de Málaga has the news on the Suns signing the other Dragic brother:
Zoran Dragic annunced to Unicaja having a Phoenix Suns offer to go to the NBA immediately. He must pay 1.000.000 dollars (770.000€).
— Rafael Molina Guerra (@Falimguerra) September 25, 2014
The Suns will have to pay a million as a buyout for Zoran, but only 60 percent of that will go towards the cap.
After bringing Isaiah Thomas aboard in free agency, drafting Tyler Ennis out of Syracuse in the first round, signing Zoran Dragic, extending Bledsoe for the next half-decade, as well as current guards Archie Goodwin, Gerald Green and Goran, Phoenix will have an extensive array of guards (seven, in fact) to run coach Jeff Hornacek‘s break-neck offense. With only 15 roster spots available when training camps conclude, seven represents almost half of their full roster. That is a lot of guards.
Speaking of the Dragic brothers, McDonough told the Arizona Republic‘s Paul Coro, the team will definitely act to re-sign Goran when he opts out this summer; Gordan said that was his plan earlier in the offseason.
“We don’t have many long-term commitments,” McDonough said. “We have every intention of keeping Goran in a Suns uniform as long as possible. We know he loves Phoenix. There’s plenty of money for Goran next year or when it comes up. We fully anticipate taking care of him.”
We love how McDonough added the clause, “or when it comes up” in the above statement to Coro. There is no way Goran stays in his current deal this summer. He has a player option he’ll likely decline paying him $7.5 million in the final season of a four-year, $30 million deal he signed in July of 2012. With the Bledsoe signing, and Gordan Dragic’s All-NBA Third Team selection this past season, he could be a candidate for a max deal when he opts out this summer.
What do you think?
Follow Spencer on Twitter at @SpencerTyrel.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
