The Phoenix Suns are stuck in cap purgatory with a mediocre roster and no easy ways out. It was understandable — even admirable — for Mat Ishbia to lean all-in on Phoenix's mega-talented core of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, but the experiment has failed. It's time to chart a new path forward.
It's clear what Phoenix plans to do next summer. Durant is officially up for grabs to the highest bidder, with the Suns hoping to recoup financial flexibility and draft capital in exchange for the aging superstar. Durant can still carry a winning team, ranked No. 7 in FanSided's NBA99, but the Suns just did not put a sustainable roster around him.
Several teams ought to come knocking. There are natural red flags, such as Durant's age and expiring contract, but he's too good for teams in that second or third tier of contention to overlook. Not many players can stretch a defense quite like Durant. He remains an otherworldly shooter at "6-foot-9," while we all know he's really a 7-footer. The defense is solid, if not what it once was, and he's a tried and true killer late in games.
Phoenix's reported asking price is three first-round picks and a young player. There's a good chance the Suns can recoup a lottery pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft, depending on where Durant ends up. Popular hpyothetical landing spots, such as Houston, San Antonio, and maybe even OKC, are all equipped with lottery picks as things presently stand. The Rockets actually possess the Suns' own pick, as fate would have it.
Here are a few top prospects Phoenix should have its eyes on with respect to a Durant trade.
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3. Derik Queen, Maryland
The Suns need a center. It's the worst-kept secret in sports. The Nick Richards trade was a nice boon, but he's not really a long-term defensive foundation in the middle. Oso Ighodaro was a nice hit in the 2024 second round, but he profiles as more of an offensive specialist with the second unit than Phoenix's primary option in the frontcourt.
Maryland freshman Derik Queen has been a revelation all season, putting together absurd stat lines for a Terrapins team with serious March Madness aspirations. The 20-year-old melds the old school and the new school in fascinating ways. There were concerns about his defensive projection going into the season, but Queen's improvement from a conditioning perspective has been marked. He's averaging a block and 1.1 steals per game, with quick hands that make him a pest in passing lanes on the back line.
Where Queen really shines, however, is the offensive end. He's not a bankable 3-point shooter yet, but Queen flashes promising touch and enough mid-range utility to suggest a future shooting the basketball on a consistent basis. From there, he can impact the game in every way, slashing downhill with a bulky frame, tight footwork, and a sharp passing eye at 6-foot-10. Queen's ability to face up, collapse a defense, and create his own offense is a rarity at the center position. His upside is immense for a team like Phoenix, where he'd have an immediate runway next to quality perimeter stars.
2. Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina
Collin Murray-Boyles has a wide range of projected outcomes on draft night. He's polarizing by nature, playing a brand of basketball few (if any) get away with in the NBA. He's effectively a 6-foot-7, 231-pound non-shooter, which naturally raises eyebrows (and alarm bells).
The modern NBA is so dependent on 3s that it's hard to survive with multiple non-shooters on the floor together. Murray-Boyles ought to have some small-ball five utility at the next level, but that's typically not a sustainable game plan. He's going to share the floor with other bigs, which leads to natural questions about how smoothly the offense can function.
Phoenix, with its several high-volume shooters, feels like a natural landing spot. And I'm here to tell you, don't get too bogged down in the unconventionality of Murray-Boyles' skill set. He has been a wrecking ball for a bad South Carolina team, scoring with absurd efficiency around the basket and impacting winning in a variety of ways. He's a sharp playmaker, a versatile defensive anchor, and a sturdy presence on the glass. He does just about everything except shoot, with a blend of footwork, touch, and brute strength in the paint that makes him a real handful to stop. He offers legitimate star upside if Phoenix can unlock his full repertoire.
1. Khaman Maluach, Duke
If the Suns can crack the top-10, Duke freshman Khaman Maluach feels attainable. There's a chance Maluach boosts his stock too high in pre-draft workouts, but there are enough lingering questions about the Blue Devils center to keep hope alive for a trade-up team like Phoenix. The Suns need an anchor in the middle. There are no better prospects in that respect than Maluach, who towers above the competition at 7-foot-2 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan.
Maluach has seen his minutes limited somewhat at Duke, but he's already quite polished when it comes to protecting the rim and finishing plays on offense. In fact, Maluach is historically efficient when it comes to catch lobs and throwing down dunks in the lane. He offers a wide catch radius and impressive coordination, with a frame that's difficult to slow down once it's moving toward the basket. His perimeter skill is limited — for now — but Maluach is a dominant lob threat who can set screens and do the little things at the five spot.
And folks, that perimeter skill will come around in due time. There's high school tape of Maluach attacking from the perimeter and fluidly moving into mid-range jumpers. He has a few made 3s under his belt at Duke, with a 75 percent free throw clip that bodes well for his long-term shooting outlook. There is a ton of untapped potential here. The Suns are stuck in a rut; swinging for the fences is a smart course of action.