Suns Pick Up Ryan Dunn’s 2026/27 Option
The Suns have exercised their 2026/27 rookie scale team option for forward Ryan Dunn, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets.
Phoenix had until the end of the month to decide whether to pick up Dunn’s $2,784,240 salary for next season.
Dunn, the 28th pick of the 2024 draft, had a solid rookie season. He appeared in 74 games, including 44 starts, and averaged 6.9 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 43.0% from the field. His long-range and free throw shooting need to improve, but he has established himself as a hard-nosed defender.
He’ll likely battle veteran Royce O’Neale for a starting spot in this year’s lineup.
All of the 2026/27 rookie scale option decisions, which must be finalized by October 31, can be found right here.
Suns Notes: Williams, Maluach, Gillespie, Ishbia
An inability to stay healthy has been the biggest impediment to success in Mark Williams‘ NBA career, so the Suns entered training camp with a plan to help him avoid injuries, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Williams appeared in 43, 19 and 44 games during his three seasons in Charlotte, and Phoenix officials understood they had to try something different after landing him in a draft-night trade.
“We know Mark’s history and we’re trying to change it,” coach Jordan Ott said Friday. “We’re taking an approach. He’s been out here and has been good. This is Sept. 26. Definitely added some strength to him. You can see it when he walks in the building. He definitely has great size. Excited to see where he goes, but we still do have a couple more weeks.”
Although the exact nature of their concerns was never specified, the Lakers opted to rescind a trade for Williams in February. L.A. had viewed Williams as a rim protector and a lob partner for newly acquired Luka Doncic, but something in his physical made the team change its mind. He was able to resume playing for the Hornets after the trade was called off.
Rankin indicates that Williams’ minutes might be limited in the Suns’ four preseason games so they can preserve him for the regular season. Ott noted on Saturday that Nick Richards, Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro have been getting most of the work in training camp, but that doesn’t mean there are concerns about Williams’ physical condition.
“He’s in a good place,” Ott said. “We want Mark to know we care about him this year and going forward so we have a really intentional plan for him.”
There’s more from Phoenix:
- Maluach had a difficult time during Summer League, but fellow Duke alum Grayson Allen sees promise in the rookie big man, Rankin tweets. “He talks non-stop on the court,” Allen said. “Like he’s commanding the defense, calling out coverages, constantly talking. For a rookie, let alone a 19-year-old guy to come into a gym and do that first day of training camp is impressive. He’s already ready in that aspect.”
- Hoping for a larger role in his second season with the Suns, Collin Gillespie spent the summer working to improve his jumper and take better care of the ball (Twitter video link from Rankin). “The way (Ott) talked about smaller guards like myself, we have to be able to shoot off the dribble and be efficient and not turn the ball over,” Gillespie said. “So I just worked on decision making, shooting, shooting from deeper, shooting off the dribble.”
- At Wednesday’s media day, owner Mat Ishbia responded to questions about five workplace discrimination lawsuits recently filed against the Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, per Jason Wolf of The Arizona Republic. Ishbia dismissed the claims as “ridiculous” and “a cash grab,” adding, “We don’t settle. So if we don’t do anything wrong, I’m not paying someone.” ESPN’s Baxter Holmes reported this week that employees were told in the spring that to keep their jobs they had to sign an agreement limiting their ability to sue the team over workforce matters.
NBA 2025 Offseason Check-In: Phoenix Suns
Hoops Rumors is checking in on the 2025 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, recapping the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll take a look at each team’s offseason moves and consider what might still be coming before the regular season begins. Today, we’re focusing on the Phoenix Suns.
Free agent signings
Collin Gillespie: One year, minimum salary. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.- Nigel Hayes-Davis: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Jared Butler: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 9). Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Damion Baugh: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
- David Duke Jr.: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Tyrese Samuel: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Alex Schumacher: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Note: Schumacher has since been waived.
- Jaden Shackelford: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Note: Shackelford has since been waived.
Trades
- Acquired Mark Williams and their own 2029 second-round pick from the Hornets in exchange for Vasilije Micic, the draft rights to Liam McNeeley (No. 29 pick), and either the Timberwolves’ (top-five protected), Cavaliers’, or Jazz’s 2029 first-round pick (whichever is least favorable).
- Note: The Suns had traded the Hornets their 2029 second-round pick in a previous deal.
- Acquired Jalen Green (from Rockets), Dillon Brooks (from Rockets), Daeqwon Plowden (two-way; from Hawks), the draft rights to Khaman Maluach (No. 10 pick; from Rockets), the draft rights to Rasheer Fleming (No. 31 pick; from Timberwolves), the draft rights to Koby Brea (No. 41 pick; from Warriors), and either the Thunder’s, Mavericks’, or Sixers’ 2026 second-round (whichever is second-most favorable; from Rockets) in a seven-team trade in exchange for Kevin Durant (to Rockets), the draft rights to Alex Toohey (No. 52 pick; to Warriors), either the Warriors’ or Nuggets’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable; to Timberwolves), and either the Suns’ or Rockets’ 2032 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable; to Timberwolves).
- Note: Plowden was subsequently waived.
Draft picks
- 1-10: Khaman Maluach
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $27,386,799).
- 2-31: Rasheer Fleming
- Signed to four-year, $8,685,386 contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
- 2-41: Koby Brea
- Signed to two-way contract.
Two-way signings
- Koby Brea
- One year, $85,300 partial guarantee (will increase to $318,218 at start of regular season).
- CJ Huntley
- Two years, $85,300 partial guarantee (will increase to $318,218 at start of regular season); second year non-guaranteed (will increase to maximum two-way protection amount on July 10 and to 50% at start of regular season).
- Isaiah Livers
- One year, $85,300 partial guarantee (will increase to $318,218 at start of regular season).
Departed/unsigned free agents
- Bol Bol (unsigned)
- Jalen Bridges (Celtics)
- Tyus Jones (Magic)
- Damion Lee (Ironi Ness Ziona)
- Monte Morris (unsigned)
- Mason Plumlee (Hornets)
- TyTy Washington Jr. (Clippers)
Other roster moves
- Signed Devin Booker to a two-year, $88,762,440 veteran contract extension that begins in 2028/29. Projected value of $145,760,888. Includes second-year player option.
- Bought out and stretched Bradley Beal (gave up $13,879,830 of $110,794,880 total guaranteed salary).
- Claimed Jordan Goodwin off waivers from the Lakers.
- Waived Cody Martin (non-guaranteed contract).
Salary cap situation
- Operating over the cap ($154.6MM) and above the luxury tax line ($187.9MM).
- Carrying approximately $187.9MM in salary.
- No hard cap.
- Full non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14,104,000) available.
- Full bi-annual exception ($5,134,000) available.
- Three traded player exceptions available (largest worth $3,628,720).
The offseason so far
The Suns fell short of expectations in 2023/24, their first season with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal on the roster together, earning the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference and getting swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Timberwolves.
But that 49-win season actually looked pretty good in retrospect when compared to the all-out disaster that was ’24/25. Phoenix went just 36-46 last season and entered the offseason as the only NBA team that didn’t make the playoffs, didn’t make the play-in tournament, and didn’t control a lottery pick. The Suns were also the only club that made both a front office and head coaching change this spring, hiring Brian Gregory to replace general manager James Jones and Jordan Ott to replace coach Mike Budenholzer.
Injuries were a recurring problem for the Suns’ “big three,” as Durant missed 20 games in 2024/25 while Beal was sidelined for 29. But the team wasn’t good even when all three players were healthy and available — Durant, Booker, and Beal had a -4.1 net rating during the 667 minutes they shared the court last season. It simply wasn’t the right fit.
That meant the Suns headed into the summer with major decisions to make on all three players. They ended up taking a different route with each one of them, with Booker as the lone keeper. Not only did the Suns hang onto the star guard, but they gave him a maximum-salary contract extension, despite the fact that he still had three years left on his current deal. The new two-year contract will start in 2028/29 and projects to be worth well over $70MM annually, with a player option in ’29/30.
It seemed like an unnecessarily early commitment for the Suns to make, especially on the heels of a dysfunctional season in which Booker’s three-point percentage dipped to 33.2%, one of the worst marks of his career. But with speculation swirling about whether it would be in the organization’s best interests to kick-start a full rebuild, the front office was determined to show it was serious about its stance against trading Booker. With the extension, the Suns made it clear they’re all-in on the four-time All-Star.
Durant, on the other hand, was one of the offseason’s most obvious trade candidates after the Suns initially opened discussions on the star forward prior to February’s deadline. The fact that Phoenix ultimately agreed to terms to send Durant to Houston didn’t come as a real surprise, though the eventual structure of the blockbuster – which expanded to include seven teams in total – was unique.
That transaction combined several separate trade agreements into a single deal, but the Suns’ haul for Durant was ultimately headlined by a handful of pieces: fifth-year guard Jalen Green, veteran wing and professional nuisance Dillon Brooks, and the draft rights to three rookies, led by No. 10 overall pick Khaman Maluach.
In retrospect, the Suns’ decision to trade Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder, and four unprotected first-round picks (plus a swap) for Durant at the 2023 deadline looks like a mistake. They were unable to recoup that same sort of value when they flipped him two-and-a-half years later.
But as great as Durant is, he’s entering his age-37 season and is on an expiring contract, so the Suns could’ve done a lot worse this time around. Green has averaged over 20 points per game through his first four NBA seasons and is still just 23 years old; Brooks remains one of the league’s most effective and irritating defenders; and Maluach has a chance to become the team’s long-term answer in the middle. It’s not hard to imagine a scenario in which the 2027 Rockets feel a similar regret to the 2025 Suns about the package they gave up for Durant.
One thing the Durant deal didn’t do was save the Suns money, which was a problem, since the club had the NBA’s highest payroll in 2024/25, far above the second tax apron. With a retooled roster and no more short-term championship aspirations, Phoenix wasn’t interested in maintaining such a high team salary again and took an extreme measure to address the issue, reaching a buyout agreement with Beal and waiving and stretching the two years and $97MM still left on his contract.
Rather than carrying a cap hit of $54.7MM, Beal now counts for just $19.4MM in 2025/26, a reduction of more than $35MM that nearly moved the Suns out of luxury tax territory altogether. The downside? That $19.4MM in dead money will apply to the team’s cap for each of the next five seasons, through 2029/30, putting a major dent in the front office’s flexibility going forward.
While the Bucks took a similar path with Damian Lillard, Milwaukee used the stretch provision in order to create the cap room necessary to sign Myles Turner. The Suns didn’t have a follow-up move lined up after stretching Beal, which was mostly about saving money. Phoenix does have much more room to maneuver in the short term, but the club has yet to actually take advantage of that newfound flexibility.
Although the Suns’ most significant offseason moves revolved around those three stars, they were active on other fronts too. Notably, they struck a draft-day deal to acquire center Mark Williams from the Hornets in exchange for this year’s No. 29 pick and a future first-rounder. That’s not necessarily an overpay for a 23-year-old center coming off a season in which he averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds, but the timing was a little odd, given that news of the deal broke right around the time the Suns drafted Maluach.
The rookie out of Duke, who turned 19 earlier this month, probably isn’t far enough along in his developmental process to play a major role immediately. Still, it’s hard to believe the Suns view Williams as simply a stop-gap solution at center until Maluach is ready — teams don’t give up multiple first-round picks for players if they don’t envision them as part of their future, and Williams is due to be paid this year or next (he’s currently eligible for a rookie scale extension). It will be interesting to see how the Suns manage their center position going forward.
Outside of Williams and the players they acquired in the Durant mega-deal, the Suns focused on filling out their roster with minimum-salary players. That group includes Collin Gillespie, who got a promotion from his two-way deal to a standard roster spot, and Nigel Hayes-Davis, whom the Suns brought back from Europe for his first NBA contract since he was waived by Sacramento in July 2018.
It also includes Rasheer Fleming, a rookie who was targeted by several teams heading into the second day of the draft before the Suns won the mini-sweepstakes for him by making a trade for the No. 31 overall pick. Getting younger, more athletic, and better defensively was a goal for Phoenix this summer, and drafting Fleming reflected that approach — the former Saint Joseph’s forward has a 7’5″ wingspan and averaged an impressive 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals per game as a junior last season.
Up next
Because he’s a free agent signing whose minimum-salary contract is subject to tax variance, Hayes-Davis counts a little more for tax purposes than he does against the salary cap, but even after taking that into account, the Suns are barely over the tax line — their 14 players on standard contracts put them into the tax by less than $300K.
That number would increase if Phoenix decides to carry a 15th man into the regular season. For now though, it looks like the team will probably leave an open spot on its regular season roster, with Jordan Goodwin ($200K partial guarantee) and Jared Butler (non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract) vying to be the 14th man alongside the team’s 13 players on fully guaranteed deals.
Goodwin’s contract structure may give him the slight edge, though the difference in marginal and the Suns should be able to duck the tax later in the season (if that’s a priority) regardless of which guard they hang onto.
Assuming the Suns keep their 13 players on guaranteed contracts, their three players on two-way deals, and one of Goodwin or Butler, the only other major preseason decisions will likely involve contract extensions. Williams, backup center Nick Richards, and Brooks are all eligible to sign new deals.
Of those three players, Williams is the most likely to get something done before opening night. Richards will remain extension-eligible all season long and probably doesn’t have a long-term future in Phoenix anyway after the club added Williams and Maluach. Brooks, meanwhile, still has two years left on his current contract, so there’s no rush to work out a new agreement with him prior to the 2026 offseason.
Williams, however, would become a restricted free agent next summer if he’s not extended this year. It’s possible the Suns are OK with that outcome. The big man has yet to play a game for his new team, and restricted free agency has favored teams over players this offseason. Still, if wouldn’t be a surprise if Williams and the Suns find a compromise both sides can live with next month. As noted above, teams typically don’t give up multiple first-round picks for players who aren’t in their long-term plans, so it’s safe to assume Phoenix would like to work out a new deal with the former Hornet sooner or later.
Suns Notes: Williams, Booker, Baugh, Duke
Mark Williams is entering training camp with a new team for the first time in his career after being sent from the Hornets to the Suns this offseason. According to Duane Rankin of Arizona Republic, he’s looking to prove that Charlotte shouldn’t have traded him.
“Just to be where you’re wanted is always great,” Williams said at the Suns media day “To be here is exciting. Charlotte was ultimately where I was drafted to. There was a belief in me at some point, but once you trade me the first time, it was only a matter of time before I was gone. So I knew that was coming. I just intend to make them regret that decision every time I’m on the court.”
It initially looked like Williams would be traded to the Lakers at last year’s deadline in exchange for Dalton Knecht and a pick, but that deal fell through due to concerns about the big man’s physical. After averaging 12.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in his first three seasons, Williams is excited for his new opportunity in the final year of his rookie contract.
“He’s been with us every day since July 1,” Suns general manager Brian Gregory said. “His strength gains in the lower body have been off the charts. His work ethic on a daily basis, off the chart. His attitude, he understood where he was at and where he needed to get to and he’s worked every single day on that.”
Rankin writes that Williams is expected to start at center but will battle with rookie Khaman Maluach, Oso Ighodaro and Nick Richards in camp.
We have more from the Suns:
- At Phoenix’s media day on Sept. 24, star guard Devin Booker told Suns insider John Gambadoro (Twitter link) that there was a “disconnect” on last year’s squad. “I don’t think there was any hatred in our last group amongst the guys I just think when you are all on a different plan and don’t have the same common goal or same objective than that’s what it turns into,” Booker said. According to Gambadoro, Booker also said the last two years were the toughest of his career.
- Booker recognizes that his leadership is going to be of the utmost importance for this squad, Rankin writes for The Arizona Republic. With Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal no longer on the team, Booker is going to be relied on to be more vocal. “I’m going to use my voice always,” Booker said. “I feel something is going to be beneficial for the team, especially with this team now for the growth for any young player. I’ve been around these guys a lot. They’re already hitting me with the right questions. It was tough not getting where we wanted to with [Durant] and [Beal], two guys I have high respect for and always will.”
- The Suns’ G League team acquired the rights to Damion Baugh and David Duke Jr., whom Phoenix previously signed to training camp deals, according to Rankin (Twitter link). That indicates the plan is for both players to suit up for Phoenix’s NBAGL affiliate this season. In exchange, the Valley Suns sent the Westchester Knicks the returning rights to all of Cassius Stanley, Moses Wood, Mamadi Diakite, Quinndary Weatherspoon and Didi Louzada, along with a first- and second-round pick.
Suns Sign Tyrese Samuel To Exhibit 10 Deal
The Suns have signed free agent forward Tyrese Samuel, according to RealGM’s official log of NBA transactions. It’s an Exhibit 10 deal, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.
A 6’10” big man from Montreal, Samuel spent four seasons at Seton Hall prior to transferring to Florida for a “super senior” season in 2023/24. In 36 games with the Gators, he averaged 13.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks in 26.8 minutes per contest, earning a spot on the All-SEC second team.
After going undrafted last year, the 25-year-old signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Suns and was waived before the season began. He spent his first post-college season with the G League’s Valley Suns and will likely be headed back to Phoenix’s affiliate team to open ’25/26.
Samuel had a fairly slow start with the Valley Suns during the Tip-Off Tournament last fall, averaging 7.8 PPG and 5.1 RPG in 16 contests (17.1 MPG). His role was expanded during the regular season, however, and he responded by averaging 10.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 1.0 BPG in 33 games (21.3 MPG).
If Samuel is cut by Phoenix and spends at least 60 days with the Valley Suns this season, he’ll be eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $85,300 on top of his regular NBAGL salary.
Phoenix is now at the offseason limit of 21 players under contract.
Steve Nash Joining Suns As Senior Advisor
Suns owner Mat Isbhia announced (via Twitter) on Monday that former star point guard Steve Nash is “formally joining” the franchise as a senior advisor ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Marc Stein reported in April that Nash was being hired by Amazon Prime Video to be an analyst for its first season as an NBA broadcast partner.
Despite his longtime ties to the Suns and his head coaching experience with Brooklyn, Nash reportedly wasn’t interested in the Suns’ head coaching job this spring, a position that eventually went to veteran assistant Jordan Ott. But Nash will have another basketball-related role with the organization where he enjoyed his most success as a player.
During his 10 years in Phoenix, Nash won back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006 and finished second in voting 2007. The 6’3″ Canadian was named first-team All-NBA three straight years, had a pair of second teams nods, made six All-Star appearances, and won five assists titles.
Nash, 51, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Advisors often have less formal (and less stressful) roles than coaches, so it’s not surprising that Nash decided to take on this new venture, particularly since he said last year that he didn’t intend to continue coaching and was focused on spending time with his family.
Nash, who played his college ball at Santa Clara and had NBA stints with the Mavericks and Lakers, compiled a 94-67 (.584) record in two-plus regular seasons as Brooklyn’s coach, including a 7-9 (.438) mark in the postseason. He was fired following a 2-5 start to the 2022/23 season.
Nash was a part-time consultant with the Warriors before landing the Nets job. He also interviewed for the Raptors’ head coaching position in 2023.
Suns Notes: Fifth Starter, Backcourt, Key Dates, TV Deal
First-time head coach Jordan Ott will be faced with some difficult decisions this fall as the Suns prepare for training camp, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscriber link).
In addition to managing Devin Booker‘s workload and discovering if Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea can contribute as rookies, Ott and his staff will also have to determine Phoenix’s starting lineup. According to Rankin, Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams will likely be four of the five starters, but the fifth is less certain.
Rankin views second-year wing Ryan Dunn as the most logical candidate to be the fifth starter, assuming he was able to improve his three-point shot over the summer. If Dunn’s offensive efficiency is still lacking, Royce O’Neale would be a more proven option as a small-ball four.
Second-year forward/center Oso Ighodaro is another player who could receive starting consideration if Ott experiments with two-big lineups, Rankin adds.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- Although pairing Booker with Bradley Beal didn’t turn out very well, the Suns are optimistic about the backcourt duo of Booker and Green, Rankin writes in another story. “We are two people who are going to accept the double team and be able to play off each other,” Green said during Summer League in Las Vegas. “When you look at something like that, it’s like, we’re two people who know how to score the basketball. We’re two people who know how to attract the defense. When we’re doing something like that, you got to pick who you want to score tonight. He and I are going to be a deadly scoring duo.”
- In a third article for The Arizona Republic, Rankin lists several key dates to monitor ahead of the regular season. Phoenix’s media day (Sept. 24) and training camp (Sept. 25) are set for next week due to a preseason trip to China (Oct. 10-12).
- Owner Mat Ishiba has agreed to a two-year extension with Gray Media to broadcast Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury games free over the air throughout the state of Arizona, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, who reports that the deal is worth $30MM+ annually. Both teams’ local ratings have skyrocketed over the past two years since they switched to the free model. “It’s been a win-win,” Ishbia told ESPN. “It was do right by the fans and get the games more accessible. And when you grow your fanbase, good things happen.”
- In case you missed it, Kevin Durant recently offered his perspective on his trade saga with the Suns. Durant was eventually dealt to Houston in the deal that brought back Green, Brooks and the rights to the No. 10 pick (Maluach).
Kevin Durant Offers His Perspective On Trade Saga In Phoenix
Kevin Durant trade rumors shook up the NBA last winter as the Suns tried to dismantle their underachieving team in midseason. Durant recalled that experience this week during an appearance at the Game Plan Sports Business Summit in Los Angeles, saying he learned he was being shopped “around February,” relays Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.
“Initially, I was a little upset because I felt like we built a solid relationship, me and the Phoenix Suns,” Durant said. “And to hear that from a different party was kind of upsetting, but that’s just the name of the game. So I got over that quickly and was trying to figure out what the next steps were.”
Durant was linked to several teams in trade talks, but the quickly approaching February 6 deadline made it difficult to put a deal together. He confirmed that the Warriors had real interest in bringing him back to the Bay Area, where he won titles in 2017 and 2018, but Durant had business partner Rich Kleiman shut down that possibility.
“I heard Golden State was in the mix around the trade deadline, but that’s when Rich came into play, and those relationships that we built around the league and also playing in Golden State helped,” Durant told the audience. “We were able to tell them kind of hold off on that.”
Durant remained in Phoenix, but a breakup seemed inevitable after the Suns failed to qualify for the play-in tournament. He missed the final seven games of the season after suffering an ankle injury on March 30.
Durant found himself back on the market when the summer began. Houston, San Antonio and Miami were reportedly on his list of preferred locations, and Minnesota was rumored to be involved in the bidding as well. An agreement on a deal sending him to the Rockets was reached in June, with Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the 10th pick in the draft, which was used to take Khaman Maluach, going to Phoenix in return.
“Since me being on the market in February when there’s also a trade deadline, people were just kind of seeing how their seasons played out and what they needed for their teams,” Durant said. “We knew we would revisit that right around the summertime, and Houston kind of jumped on, and it happened pretty fast from there.”
Suns Sign David Duke Jr., Damion Baugh
The Suns have signed David Duke Jr., reports Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot (via Twitter). The terms of the deal were unreported, but it will almost certainly be an Exhibit 10 training camp deal.
This will mark Duke’s fifth season in the NBA. He spent the first two years of his career with the Nets and the last two with the Spurs, with whom he was on a two-way contract last season. He holds career averages of 4.2 points and 0.9 assists in 11.9 minutes per night.
Garcia also reports (via Twitter) that the Suns have signed Damion Baugh to a training camp deal. Baugh was previously on a two-way contract with the Hornets, but was waived to accommodate the team bringing in Antonio Reeves.
A 6’4″ shooting guard, Baugh averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 assists in 24.7 minutes per game in his rookie season with the Hornets last year after going undrafted in 2023.
The Suns’ roster currently contains 13 fully guaranteed deals, with Jordan Goodwin and Jared Butler on non-guaranteed deals vying for a standard roster spot. While it’s possible Duke or Baugh could get a chance to compete for a regular season roster spot, they seem more likely to be ticketed for the Valley Suns, Phoenix’s G League affiliate.
Agent: Jonathan Kuminga Willing To Accept Qualifying Offer
Appearing on the latest Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), agent Aaron Turner said accepting the $8MM qualifying offer is a realistic option for restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga unless the Warriors‘ offers improve, relays Anthony Slater of ESPN.
“There’s a lot of upside,” Turner told the hosts. “He wants to pick where he wants to go. So the QO is real for sure.”
As Slater reported on Monday, Golden State recently engaged in another negotiating session with Kuminga and Turner, submitting its latest offer of $75.2MM over three years with a team option for the final season. That would give him two fully guaranteed seasons at a total of $48.3MM.
Earlier in the summer, the team offered a two-year, $45MM contract that contains a team option in the second season. The only offer without a team option limits his salary to $54MM over three years, an average of $18MM per season.
Kuminga has refused to accept any of those scenarios, but Turner said this week that he would be agreeable to the latest offer if the Warriors replace the team option with a player option. The team has refused to put a player option on the table, which is why Kuminga finds the QO so appealing. Although he would be playing for far below his market value for one season, Kuminga would become unrestricted next summer and would have the power to choose his next team.
“If (the Warriors) want to win now, if you want a guy that’s happy and treated fairly who is a big part of this team, we believe, moving forward, you give him the player option,” Turner said on the podcast. “You do lose a little of that trade value (giving that up). But if it’s about the here and now, you give him that. You don’t get a perfect deal, but you get a pretty good deal and he gets to feel respected about what he gets and we all move on and worry about winning, helping Steph (Curry).”
The Warriors’ offseason has been on hold while they work toward a solution with Kuminga. They reportedly have deals lined up with free agents Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II, but those can’t be finalized because using any portion of the mid-level exception would hard-cap the Warriors at the second apron. That creates the risk that another team could open enough cap room to give Kuminga an offer that Golden State wouldn’t be able to match.
“If JK wants to take (the qualifying offer), it does have upside, right?” Turner said. “We’ve talked about that. You’re not getting traded. You’re going to have unrestricted free agency (next summer). People are going to say, ‘Well, Aaron, there’s not going to be 10 or 12 teams (with cap space).’ Fine, there’ll be six teams with cap space for the clear-cut under-35 top wing on the market. So there’s a lot of upside.”
The Suns and Kings both expressed interest in Kuminga this summer before Golden State shut down sign-and-trade talks. Sacramento was reportedly offering a contract worth $63-66MM over three years, while Phoenix was willing to pay him between $80-88MM over four seasons. However, neither team made a trade offer that enticed the Warriors.
“He’s gotten a chance to hear from other teams,” Turner said. “You know, Sacramento, he’s spent some time with them, got to meet (general manager) Scott Perry, (head coach) Doug Christie, the Suns and what they’ve offered him. There’s been other teams, too, maybe planting seeds for (2026 or 2027). But they’re saying, ‘Hey, we want you to be you. We don’t want you to change anything. We want to put the ball in your hands. We want to give you a huge opportunity to play.'”
Turner added that Kuminga isn’t opposed to staying with the Warriors, but that would mean putting his personal ambitions aside, and Turner believes his client should be financially compensated for that decision. He called Golden State “as first-class as you get,” but pointed out that other teams would be giving Kuminga a chance to play full-time starter’s minutes, while staying put means he would be coming off the bench and battling for playing time with Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Horford.
“No guarantees he starts any games,” Turner said. “He may, but we don’t know. Finishing games, night to night, who knows? It depends if (coach Steve Kerr) has a combination he likes and it’s working. Maybe he sticks with it. Maybe he doesn’t. You’re going to have to not have the ball as much. You’re going to have to stay away from developing certain parts of your game, or wanting to lean into certain parts of your game, especially shooting any type of mid-range jump shots, which is something JK does work on. But in the Golden State offense and the role he’s in, that’s not going to be a big shot that he’s really going to be able to take much.”
With media day just 10 days away, there’s a growing urgency on both sides to get the matter resolved. Turner indicated that Kuminga would take the two-year offer if he’s allowed to keep an inherent no-trade clause that would come with it, but the team hasn’t budged on that point. He added that Kuminga would want to be compensated for accepting a team option — something in the neighborhood of $30MM per year.
“Two years from now, if you want to keep him, you’ll have his Bird rights (even if you give him a player option),” Turner said. “You treat him good and you show him the plan, then maybe you keep him. (The player option contract) is not perfect, but I don’t think anybody can get everything they really want.
“If you ask JK, he wants Jalen Green‘s deal. He’s not getting that. He wants Jalen Johnson‘s deal. You’re not getting that. If the Warriors, we feel like, pick the front end (of the contract), if that number needs to be lower to stay under a second apron, (it’s a) player option. Or if it’s about really controlling the back end of the deal, move the number up, shake your roster up and you can have a team option. Or, the hybrid model, let him keep his no-trade clause.”