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Phoenix Suns Have Limited Trade Options Ahead of Deadline

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Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) with guard Bradley Beal (3) and Devin Booker (1) against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Footprint Center.

After a long saga, Jimmy Butler was traded to the Golden State Warriors, not the Phoenix Suns. Many felt he would wind up at one of the two teams, but the Warriors won the sweepstakes. Many reports suggested he wanted Phoenix and Phoenix only and was only willing to sign an extension in the desert. However, those claims were rebuffed by the immediate agreement of a two-year, $121 million extension between the Dubs and Butler.

This failed pursuit of Butler leaves Phoenix in a tricky place with few options just hours before the trade deadline. Efforts have been made to move Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic, but to no avail. Kevin Durant’s name was seriously linked with a trade, but he has no desire to leave. The Suns have limited trade options and are in danger of watching the season slip away.

Phoenix Suns Have Limited Trade Options Ahead of Deadline

Beal and Durant Set to Stay With Suns Amid Trade Rumors

Following the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, eight All-Star players have been traded since Saturday night, with potentially more to come. One of them, however, will not be Durant. While the Suns were focused on their priority Butler, Beal was always expected to be the centerpiece of any return. But with no breakthrough in talks, Durant’s name was beginning to be mentioned.

The Warriors were known to be desperate to find a star to pair with Stephen Curry, ultimately calling around the league for almost every All-Star. However, a reunion with Durant was their preference, and they received signals from the Suns that it was possible. It sent shockwaves around the league, with multiple reports saying that many teams believed Durant was about to be traded. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that the Miami Heat, Warriors, and Suns were discussing the framework of a trade that would send Durant to the Warriors, Butler to the Suns, and Andrew Wiggins to the Heat. Windhorst named Devin Booker the only player guaranteed to remain on the Suns’ roster.

But this deal collapsed due to Durant’s unwillingness to return to the Bay. He wanted to remain a Sun, and while it is uncertain whether he would’ve approved a trade elsewhere, it was clear that a return to his former side was something he did not want. The trade had “a lot of momentum,” per Suns insider John Gambadoro, but it could not materialize. Durant does not have a no-trade clause, but the Warriors would not trade for a player who did not want them. So their attentions shifted to Butler, and they quickly got their man.

Suns Likely to Remain as Currently Constructed

A Durant-for-Butler swap made no sense for Phoenix. Despite the move reportedly being close to completion, it would not have made them better now or in the future. The purpose of moving on from Durant would be to get younger talent. Butler is 35, and Durant is 36. Had the Suns gone through with the trade, it would have been Butler plus picks, a move looking to the future in replenishing their draft capital while staying competitive. But Butler’s preference for the Suns was to play alongside Booker and Durant.

NBA insider Chris Haynes said the Suns were “always prepared to venture into the second half of the season with the core roster in place.” It appears they are leaning on and hoping for improved performance with the weight of trade rumors no longer on their shoulders. While they may have little choice, they have a huge uphill battle.

The Suns are in a highly precarious position in the Western Conference. Following an embarrassing 140-109 defeat to the leading Oklahoma City Thunder, they occupy the final play-in spot in 10th. They are tied in record with the Warriors who sit just outside. They are only three games from the Los Angeles Clippers in sixth but possess the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA. The Suns have lost three in a row and face some difficult upcoming opponents. The Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets are all on the horizon before the All-Star break.

Marginal Trades Can Still Be Made

While the big three of Durant, Booker and Beal are set to remain, marginal moves can still be made. They have three first-round picks to utilise, likely attaching one to Nurkic’s contract. With little time left and no interested suitors, the Bosnian may have to stay put.

Tyus Jones can be moved to recoup some further assets. Jones is on an expiring contract, and if the Suns can get a second-round pick, they may need to pull the trigger. Guaranteeing Jones a starting place has proved costly, with the 28-year-old a liability on defense. Phoenix’s turnover problem has also not improved. The team has Monte Morris on the roster, a player getting no minutes. He is capable of doing Jones’s job from the bench.

Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen are assets that would garner interest. Rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro could both be on the table. However, further compromising their future for a return that would certainly not catapult them into contenders would be unnecessarily damaging. The buyout market also remains an option.

The only way the Suns could significantly improve is by trading Beal. But his no-trade clause has put them in a situation that is almost impossible to resolve. However, they knew what they were acquiring when they traded for the former Washington Wizards man. Now, they are paying the consequences. Although, as the NBA has shown in this past week, plenty can quickly change, and nothing is off the table. Should Phoenix stand pat and miss the playoffs this year, an intriguing and dramatic offseason in the Valley looms.

 

© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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