The Suns are comfortable with their current roster, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports, though they must make at least one more move.
Aided in large part by the Kevin Durant trade and the buyout of Bradley Beal‘s contract, the Suns have dropped under the tax aprons and can now aggregate contracts in a trade, do a sign-and-trade and use mid-level exceptions. However, it’s unlikely they’ll make another significant move.
While Rankin confirms the Suns have some interest in restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, they likely lack the draft capital and assets to pique the Warriors’ interest. Veteran free agents Russell Westbrook and Al Horford are not on their radar, Rankin adds.
Phoenix will have to add another player to the standard roster by the fall to meet the minimum of 14.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- What does the Suns‘ starting lineup look like after all the roster additions and subtractions? Rankin predicts Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Ryan Dunn and Mark Williams will claim those spots. Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, Oso Ighodaro and lottery pick Khaman Maluach project as the top reserve candidates.
- Beal, who joined the Clippers on a two-year, $11MM contract, has a 15 percent trade kicker as part of his new deal, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Beal officially signed with L.A. on Friday after clearing waivers.
- There’s no lingering friction between Chris Paul, who signed with the Clippers on Monday, and his former Rockets teammate James Harden, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. In fact, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank declared that Paul will back up Harden next season. Frank was intent this offseason on getting quality depth, considering his aging roster and the proliferation of injuries throughout the league. “I’ll knock on wood, but the reality is for any NBA team, the amount of times you have your top 10 all available is usually 21 to 25 times throughout the course of a year. So, you literally need everyone on your roster to be able to contribute,” Frank said.
Clippers should just play their guys the last 25 games and make the play-in.
The west is such a beast that you do that and your likely to miss the play in. SAS should be better, POR is trying and adding win now players, and even NOP has no real incentive to tank after trading next years pick. I think NOP are garbage and are the 14th worst team.
Theres just no margin for error in the west, or coasting to a low seed.
14th in the west? I don’t think were that bad but with the murray injury, the availability of zion, and the youth on the roster I see why you say that. Last year we were disamated by injuries amongst other drama but we should be a play in team at minimum if zion can stay healthy and if poole can add some scoring every night, we got plenty of defense, we just need injuries to not be a factor and actual score the ball…why I didn’t want BI to be traded but it is what it is 🙏
I like Herb and Trey…
Not sure about the physio staff since they have had a lot of injuries, most of which seem to take longer than avg to recover.
Not sure what to make of the lawsuit against Zion. Not sure what to make of Zions future health. Not sure what to make of Zions stats since he scored a lot but was down across the board on % and had his first season with a d rating worse than his o rating.
Besides all that I think that the roster is just a bottom 3 in talent. Like this is basically the same team that just was a top 4 team in lottery odds. I just dont have much faith in this roster, and have even less in the front office.
Dumars/Weaver are sooooo bad at their jobs. They dont even understand why trading a super pick from a team that already has a bunch of the payroll tied to talent that will miss most or all of next season, at a moment when most of the basketball world was thinking Giannis was going to ask out and the MIL side might be even better than the NOP, is a bad evaluation of the value of your assets. Like I think every team in the NBA is calling them right now trying to make a deal with them. I wouldnt be shocked if they trade Murphy for waaayyyy to little, hopefully to the Warriors.
Yeah virtually no spacing whatsoever besides Murphy. The Poole experience is fun when hes hot and miserable when hes cold.
Replacing KD with Ryan Dunn and Royce O’Neal…BIG YIKES.
Suns lineup makes no sense whatsoever. They should trade everyone except Booker, Allen and their most recent draft picks.
Giddey for Green via a sign and trade
Nick Richards for George Niang and a second
I’d then look to lastly grab a better back up point guard like maybe DAnthony Melton.
Giddey Booker Brooks ONeale Williams
Melton Allen Dunn Niang Maluach/Ighodaro
Westbrook should just go to a lottery team that will let him get 22/9/8 and let himself look good in his twilight. He just doesn’t fit — anywhere. He’ll shoot poorly, he’ll make bad decisions, but he’ll put up some fun stats on a bad team.
Bulls
It would be hilarious after being traded there twice and not playing once if he signs in Utah. He can avg a triple double playing like 39 min a game lols.
The Mavs should sign Westbrook. ……
My guess is O’Neal over Dunn in the starting lineup but depends on how training camp looks