3 moves Suns need to make after Bradley Beal trade to win a title

No. 2 move Suns need to make after trading for Bradley Beal: Hammer the vet minimum market

More a general motive than a specific move, but this is the direction Phoenix’s summer will take. The Suns’ financial flexibility with the KD-Beal-Booker-Ayton core is minimal. The rest of the roster will be heavily saturated by draft picks and veteran minimum contracts.

The Suns will naturally appeal to aging vets in search of an elusive ring. Phoenix is on the west coast for good measure and few stars are better at recruiting than Kevin Durant. Frank Vogel also has the respect of players around the league. Phoenix is absolutely a destination.

Phoenix simply did not have enough bodies in the playoffs. The Suns need experience, but that experience can’t come at the cost of actual playability. Vets who have lost a step defensively or who don’t have the stamina for playoff basketball should be avoided. On the flip side, the Suns should be targeting minimum players with a recent track record of contributing in the postseason.

Think Jeff Green, for example. He just played in the NBA Finals and was an important part of the Nuggets’ wing rotation all year. He’s old by NBA standards, but he can still defend a couple positions, hit 3s, and feast on backdoor cuts to the rim. He’d be the ideal “veteran minimum” type of player.

Other names to watch: Dennis Schroder, Mike Muscala, Robin Lopez, Austin Rivers, Wes Matthews, Raul Neto, Patrick Beverley, and Danny Green.