The trade deadline has passed, and the Phoenix Suns aren’t in a better position than before the trade deadline.
In a fantasy world, the Phoenix Suns should be near the top of the Western Conference. Having Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal would make you a title contender in a previous NBA era.
That’s not the case in today’s NBA.
Over the last few Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA), the NBA Governors have effectively killed the Big Three concept. If there was an ounce of life left in it, the last CBA used the Second Apron as the headshot.
There’s an argument that the current CBA is the main reason the NBA’s ratings are going down, but that’s another conversation for another time.
Phoenix Suns Governor Matt Ishbia has made a series of mistakes that have put the Suns in a position where there is one solution.
It’s time to sell off.
Of course, any conversation about selling off assets starts with Beal and his contract. Beal has two weapons in his favor. He has a No Trade Clause and a Player Option in 2026-27. If he exercises it, Beal will become an Unrestricted Free Agent in 2027-28.
The problem is that Beal is truly a family man. If his family doesn’t want to uproot out of Phoenix, Beal isn’t going to waive his No Trade Clause, and he could use the Player Option to delay relocation. Furthermore, that will give him a level of control over where he goes next.
That leaves Durant and Booker.
Durant is getting older but still has value as a contender. The problem with the Suns is what contender has enough assets left to get close to market value?
Make it a multi-team trade, right? Well, that might not be easy either because it’s not a secret that some NBA Governors won’t help others, or if they do, there’s a punitive price.
Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks are constantly required to “overpay” in deals. Do you want an example? Review what Danny Ainge asked the Knicks for Donovan Mitchell and what they asked Cleveland.
The other player of value is Booker.
Booker is younger than Durant but not as accomplished. There is a sense of uncertainty around Booker’s value in the league. Under the current CBA, how many firsts (protected and unprotected) and pick swaps is he worth?
Is Booker worth multiple assets to a contender, and, just like the case with Durant, how many assets do contenders have left?
There’s no more fixing around the edges. The roster is a lemon, and Ishbia needs to own up to his mistakes and stop throwing money at an unfixable problem.
The Suns’ offseason priority should be to trade Durant and Booker. It’s time to strip the Suns down to the studs and start over.
