Trading for a trio of true superstars is not supposed to result in a limp 4-0 first-round playoff exit. But here we are.
After Sunday night’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves , the 2023-24 NBA season for the Phoenix Suns – who were supposed to be a “super team” – has come to an ugly end. Never once getting close to the presumed sum of their parts, disjointed performances, turnover problems, athleticism disadvantages and roster imbalances led to an early departure for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference.
Phoenix’s 49-33 regular season record, which was supposed to be below what they would prove to be capable of when the playoffs rolled around, turned out to be the high point. At no point was the season much of a fun one for their fanbase, not compared to what was imagined. And so now for the team’s brain trust comes the tough task of accepting failure for the squad they put together without admitting defeat for the idea behind it.
Not helped by an improved Western Conference, the Suns were nevertheless supposed to challenge for the NBA Finals when they added Bradley Beal in a needle-moving trade with the Washington Wizards last June, four months after adding the Hall-of-Famer Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets . Such moves were supposed to be so impactful as to generate discussions about fairness, equity and collusion, not about whether they could steal a game from the Wolves before skulking home.
Nevertheless, it has all happened now, and from the minute the season ends, it is time to start looking forward. Here follows a look at the Phoenix Suns’ roster and spending heading into the 2024 NBA offseason.
State of the roster and offseason options
Durant ( $51,179,020 ), Beal ($50,203,930), Devin Booker ($49,350,000*), Jusuf Nurkic ($18,125,000), Grayson Allen ($15,625,000), Nassir Little ($6,750,000) and David Roddy ($2,847,240) are all under contract for the 2024-25 season, without any option years to worry about. This is most of the top half of the rotation, and although the sizes of most of those deals will make them harder to shift if a substantial makeover is forthcoming, it does at least likely mean some stability and reduced roster turnover going into next season. What becomes harder is finding ways to improve the team externally, given these self-imposed spending restrictions. It seems certain that even in the most generous offseason hypotheticals, the Suns will be operating far over the luxury tax line, far over both aprons, and far, far over the salary cap. This, then, will prohibit much spending on new salary. The new NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement is deliberately punitive towards the largest spenders, both in terms of luxury tax payments and also in terms of what mechanisms are even available. The Suns cashed in most of their chips to get to this place, to the point that the Beal trade was cobbled together with a myriad of second-round picks and pick swaps to compensate for the lack of available draft capital. With so much of that gone and with so much salary already committed, the roster situation is illiquid, and will require free agents taking discounts. (*) Estimated amount, due to the exact maximum salary determination not being made until the July moratorium
How the new CBA affects them
Because the Suns are so far over the luxury tax, the new "second apron" comes into play. Teams with payrolls over the second apron threshold are no longer able to aggregate contracts to trade for a single player making more money, send out cash in trades, use trade exceptions created in prior seasons, or take back more incoming than outgoing salary in a deal. Considering the aforementioned absence of quality draft capital and illiquidity of the big contracts, these restrictions do not give the Suns much scope at all to make trades. By way of example, if another Beal-esque trade was even on the table – pretend for a moment that they had more assets than they do – the second apron rules that come into effect this offseason would prohibit them from doing so. Furthermore, by being over the first apron, the Suns are limited in their free agency exceptions. The Bi-Annual exception is out, the Mid-Level Exception is reduced in size and may not even be usable at all, and any payroll added is charged at much higher rates. All of which would be less of a problem were there not so much to do. It is crucial, then, to get discounts on good players. And the first place to start with that might be in keeping their current guys.
Free agent: Josh Okogie
- Player option: $2,956,734
A minimum-salary pick-up in the 2022 offseason,
Josh Okogie impressed enough to return last summer on a slightly bigger contract, but he wisely did so with a player option attached. Having been a part of the rotation throughout the season and provided valuable defensive contributions on a team that did not have enough people doing that, he deserves a bigger and longer contract. There is not much value in Okogie exercising his player option, given the very realistic possibility of him getting more money in a new deal, including in Phoenix should he choose to stay. By virtue of joining in 2022, the Suns will have early Bird rights on Okogie, allowing them to re-sign him to a bigger and longer deal than last season. They will surely be hoping, though, to get him back at the player option price.
Free agent: Drew Eubanks
- Player option: $2,654,644
As has been the case his whole NBA career, Drew Eubanks is a useful scorer when given minutes, yet in the postseason, those minutes dried up. In the short playoff run, the answer to the question of what to do at the center spot when Nurkic was out of the game was seemingly determined to be, play Durant there. Eubanks, then, was out of the playoff rotation. Nevertheless, Eubanks' 1,169 regular season minutes were effective, and the price paid for them was very fair. Even if he was not used when the going got tough, he still represents a good player at great value if Phoenix can get him back at this price.
Free agent: Damion Lee
- Player option: $2,845,342
It was expected that Lee would be able to provide a veteran scoring and shooting option from the wing for a good Phoenix team, just as he had done in 2022-23, and in the four seasons prior for the Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately, he missed the entire campaign through injury. This in turn makes it more likely that he exercises his player option and takes the guaranteed money that comes with it, rather than entering the uncertainty of the market off the back of a nothing year. If he does so, that should be fine. But with the margins so tight, a salary-dump trade is possible if Lee is once again unable to meaningfully contribute.
Free agent: Eric Gordon
- Player option: $3,356,271
Universally loved around the league, Gordon is considered to be the glue guy, the three-and-D role player extraordinaire, the measured veteran who will play to his role, defend bigger than his size, facilitate the offense and hit open shots. On a team that never gelled, he is one piece that always can. Gordon, though, will be another year older. Another year slower. On an old and slow Suns team, perhaps this is not the ideal use of the limited resources. For the minimum salary, Gordon makes plenty of sense for this Suns team; for anything more than that, they surely cannot do it.
Free agent: Royce O'Neale
Having moved another three second-round picks for O'Neale and the inconsequential Roddy at the trade deadline, and getting the same sort of three-and-D usefulness out of him that they did from Gordon, it would be a shame were they now to lose him after only half a year. If the Big Three model is going to produced a competitive team in Phoenix, then it will need its own
Jared Dudley type. O'Neale could be that, a limited player who is at least aware of those limitations and plays within them, with some defensive versatility to boot. Yet as an expiring $9.5 million salary, he more than anyone will be required to take a pay cut. Roddy will not suffice as a replacement.
2024-25 SALARY SITUATION
Players rostered: 11, including four player options Two-way players : 0 Guaranteed salaries: $194,080,190 Non-guaranteed salaries: $11,812,991 Total salary: $205,893,181 Projected 2024/25 salary cap amount: $141,000,000
Projected 2024/25 luxury tax threshold: $171,345,000
Projected 2024/25 first apron threshold: $178,655,000
Projected 2024/25 second apron threshold: $189,486,000
- Second apron space: Likely zero
Spending options: - Taxpayer mid-level exception, second apron permitting
- Cameron Payne trade exception - $6,500,000 (expires 11th July 2024)
- Isaiah Todd trade exception - $1,836,986 (expires 27th September 2024)
- Toumani Camara trade exception - $1,119,563 (expires 27th September 2024)
The big question: Frank Vogel
Even before the Suns' season ended, rumors started to come out regarding the future of their head coach, Frank Vogel , reported to be on the hot seat after only one season. No newer to the team than the supposed super-team he was appointed to lead, Vogel – like any head coach – nevertheless becomes the easiest point of change. As quickly as the rumors about Vogel came out came the denial , and the reports that team owner Mat Ishbia is "100% behind" his coach. Perhaps that is true. But given all the above, the question must be asked – if Vogel will not be changed, then who even can? Bradley Beal has a $57 million contract through 2027 and a no-trade clause. Frank Vogel does not.
Kevin Durant
2024-25 salary: $51,179,020 Remaining salary guaranteed: $105,887,628 through 2025-26
Bradley Beal
2024-25 salary: $50,203,930 Remaining salary guaranteed: $160,998,810 through 2026-27 Additional notes:
- Has a full no-trade clause.
- 2026-27 salary is a player option at $57,128,610
Devin Booker
2024-25 salary: $49,350,000 (projected) Remaining salary guaranteed: $221,088,000 through 2027-28 (projected) Additional notes:
Jusuf Nurkic
2024-25 salary: $18,125,000 Remaining salary guaranteed: $37,500,000 through 2025-26
Grayson Allen
2024-25 salary: $15,625,000 Remaining salary guaranteed: $70,000,000 through 2027-28 Additional notes:
- 2027-28 salary is a player option at $19,375,000
Eric Gordon
2024-25 salary: $3,356,271 (player option) Remaining salary guaranteed: None
Royce O'Neale
Cap hold: $18,050,000 Type of free agent: Bird (unrestricted) Additional notes
- Can avoid free agency and extend with the Suns by June 30. Eligible for a maximum of two years, $20.5 million.
Josh Okogie
2024-25 salary: $2,956,734 (player option) Remaining salary guaranteed: None
Drew Eubanks
2024-25 salary: $2,654,644 (player option) Remaining salary guaranteed: None
Nassir Little
2024-25 salary: $6,750,000 Remaining salary guaranteed: $21,750,000 through 2026-27
Bol Bol
Cap hold: $2,093,637 Type of free agent: Non Bird (unrestricted)
David Roddy
2024-25 salary: $2,847,240 Remaining salary guaranteed: $7,679,006 through 2025-26 Additional notes:
- 2025-26 salary is a team option at $4,831,766
Thaddeus Young
Cap hold: $2,093,637 Type of free agent: Non Bird (unrestricted)
Ish Wainright
Cap hold: $2,168,944
Type of free agent: Non Bird (unrestricted)
Isaiah Thomas
Cap hold: $2,093,637 Type of free agent: Non Bird (unrestricted)
Damion Lee
2024-25 salary: $2,845,342 (player option) Remaining salary guaranteed: None
Saben Lee
Cap hold: $2,244,249
Type of free agent: Non Bird (unrestricted)
Udoka Azubuike
Cap hold: $1,867,722
Type of free agent: Non Bird (unrestricted)
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