Phoenix Suns: Salary Cap Explosion May Hinder Rebuilding
This Summer’s Free Agency Crop
2016 is the Holy Grail of free agencies, but it’s worth noting that speculating about next season’s crop of free agents is nearly impossible to predict — not only because we still have a whole period of free agency in front of us that could alter the NBA landscape, but also because this summer could set a new precedent.
The Suns need a star; that much is clear. There are a number of high profile free agents that, under normal circumstances, the Suns could try to throw a ton of money at this summer. LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson, Greg Monroe, Kevin Love, DeAndre Jordan, Enes Kanter and Wesley Matthews are just some of the names that could be available this July.
More from Suns News
- Ranking the Phoenix Suns’ 5 holiday games in 2023-24
- Zion Williamson gets compared to Phoenix Suns legend
- Suns player preview: Bol Bol can be the perfect role player
- Former Suns’ guard shows he is officially done with Phoenix
- NBA insider guarantees Suns’ rival won’t make blockbuster trade
You can also throw in Kawhi Leonard, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler as restricted free agents, but each of their respective teams would be foolish to not re-sign them on huge extensions this summer.
The point is, the 2015 NBA free agency class is loaded. Phoenix may not be an ideal destination after a tumultuous year, and older players like Aldridge who want to contend for a title now have much better options than joining a young team trying to rebuild as the Suns are.
But there are only so many teams for all of these difference-makers, and the Suns should (and will) do their due diligence to improve this team’s weak areas.
The only problem is, there’s a disturbing free agency trend we might see this offseason — one that’s already been suggested by NBA writers (as always, Grantland’s Zach Lowe is one of the best examples): superstars betting on their health, foregoing the security of long-term deals and signing one- or two-year deals to become free agents again during the summers where the salary cap launches into outer space.
Impact of a rising NBA salary cap http://t.co/NTpm1Libdm
— Dave King (@DaveKingNBA) April 23, 2015
Why do you think LeBron James only signed a two-year contract worth $42.1 million when he rejoined the Cleveland Cavaliers? It wasn’t to prematurely terrify Cavs fans that he might leave all over again. He was eligible for a four-year, $94.5 million guaranteed deal, but he’s going to make it up and more on the backend when he re-signs one of the biggest contracts in NBA history next summer — right before the cap explodes to $89 million.
It’s in players’ best interest to retain their flexibility with new contracts this summer (player options are another possible route) so they can re-sign for even bigger deals in the summers of 2016 or 2017.
The prospect of this 2015’s star free agents following this course of action is one that should terrify the Suns.
Next: How The Suns Fit In