NBA Rumors: Phoenix Suns won’t change long term plans

The Phoenix Suns were expected to be very busy leading up to February’s trade deadline.

The Suns have been the surprise of the league, posting a record of 34-24, good for seventh in the Western Conference entering Sunday. They have plenty of assets and were interested in Cleveland Cavaliers’ forward Luol Deng and Los Angeles Lakers’ big man Pau Gasol.

However, they did not make a deal.

“Our long-term approach hasn’t changed,” Suns’ general manager Ryan McDonough told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “We’re trying to get great players, through the draft or trade or free agency, but in the short term I think we’re ahead of what most people thought we would be. If we can use things like our cap space to help solidify our team we’ll do that, but at the same time we’re happy with the group we have.”

The Suns would like to save some of their cap space and one reason is to presumably re-sign guard Eric Bledsoe.

“We’re trying to be patient and not do anything to jeopardize our cap space for long-term planning,” McDonough said. “We feel like we’re off to a good start. We have a good foundation to be successful with our financial flexibility, draft picks, and most importantly, with the ways our young guys have played and what they’ve shown. But we’ve still got a ways to go to get from pretty good to great — that championship level.”

The Suns will get back to work Sunday night when they host the Atlanta Hawks at 8:00 pm EST.