3 moves Suns need to make after Bradley Beal trade to win a title
The Phoenix Suns opened the NBA offseason floodgates with a blockbuster trade for Bradley Beal. How can they fill out the roster around Beal, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker?
Under new owner Mat Ishbia, the Phoenix Suns have been starkly unafraid to make splashy moves. First it was the Kevin Durant trade. When the season ended, it was the dismissal of Monty Williams.
Now, the team has struck its next foundation-shifting deal: a trade for Bradley Beal.
The Suns will acquire Beal from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, a future pick swap, and several future second-round picks, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The Suns now have a foundation of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and Bradley Beal. Those are the only four guaranteed contracts on the roster; how can the front office build the team around them?
No. 3 move Suns need to make after trading for Bradley Beal: Keep the supporting cast together as much as possible
The Suns have several expiring contracts and upcoming free agents to deal with.
Torrey Craig and Bismack Biyombo are both unrestricted free agents for whom Phoenix owns bird rights, allowing the Suns to go over the tax to re-sign them. Darius Bazley and Jock Landale are restricted free agents, giving Phoenix the power to match any offer sheet.
The Suns should hope to bring back at least Craig and Landale. Both were critical to the Suns’ already-paper-thin rotation in the playoffs. The Beal move makes it harder than ever to build around the top-heavy core, so keeping as many postseason-competent players around as possible should be a top priority.
Bazley is slightly less proven, but he’s an intriguing athlete with flashes of defensive versatility and 3-point shooting that could demand another year of investment — especially if the price is cheap.
Josh Okogie is an unrestricted free agent. The Suns don’t have his bird rights and he frankly could get too expensive, but he was the Suns’ fifth starter leading into the playoffs and he should stick around if the Suns can make it happen.