Valley of the Suns
Fansided

How the Phoenix Suns can win the offseason

By Andrew Clark

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 17: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns talks to the media during a press conference after winning the three point contest during State Farm All-Star Saturday Night as part of the 2018 NBA All-Star Weekend on February 17, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 17: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns talks to the media during a press conference after winning the three point contest during State Farm All-Star Saturday Night as part of the 2018 NBA All-Star Weekend on February 17, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next

Current Roster Moves:

Let’s start with the current obligations: Phoenix has 12 contracts on the books right now with at least two first round picks and two second rounds picks coming in June. That’s 16 players in a league with a maximum of 15 spots per team. This leads us to the first two suggestions:

  1. Cut Alan Williams
  2. Cut Tyler Ulis

I love both of these players, but they’re a combined $7 million in non-guaranteed contracts and they’re not going to see the floor on a competitive team. Great guys, possible role players in the NBA, but not the right fit today. These moves alone makes the Suns a top-5 player in the free agent market. If the Suns can flip them for 2nd round picks instead of cutting them, even better.

The Suns also have a $10 million hold on three game all-star Elfrid Payton. While Payton has been amazing for the Suns in his first three games, it is unlikely that someone is going to come along and throw a lot of money at him after the Magic just dumped him for a bag of chips. If the Suns can give him a reasonable offer like 4 years $25-$30 million that’d free up another $5 million for the Suns and be a competitive payday for a player who has the potential to be the starting point guard of the future, but would be a fine backup.

Hence suggestion 3:

3. Quickly sign Elfrid Payton to a cheap intermediate deal

The Suns should try to dump what they can, if they can. Tyson Chandler will be in the last year of his deal and getting paid nearly $14 million. Brandon Knight is a toxic asset so let’s just move on.  Lastly, Jared Dudley is making nearly $10 million.

Therefore:

4.  Try to dump Dudley or Chandler for a cheaper asset or a future pick

Home/Suns News