Phoenix Suns: Taking a peak at the top ten 2019 free agents

BOSTON – DECEMBER 2: Boston Celtics’ Kyrie Irving drives past the Suns’ Mike James towards the basket in the third period. The Boston Celtics host the Phoenix Suns in a regular season NBA basketball game at TD Garden in Boston on Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

This summer was disappointing for many Phoenix Suns fans, but in 2019 the Suns could bring in a star. These are some players to keep an eye on.

The Suns signing of Trevor Ariza certainly won’t make anyone’s list of top free agency signings. But this could be the last summer the team will have to settle for a one year overpay.

Next offseason, the Suns will have the cap space and potentially the draw to hand out a max contract to a top free agent option. And it’s perfect timing to have that kind of cap room, with a long list of NBA All-Stars potentially hitting the market.

Bleacher Report compiled a list of the top ten potential free agents next summer, and here’s what they came up with:

So which of these guys are realistic targets for the Suns, and who should they have the most interest in?

Durant would be a great fit on pretty much any team, but it’s hard to envision him coming to Phoenix. He’d immediately make the Suns a top three team in the West, but staying in Golden State or going to Boston or Philadelphia would all put him in a situation where he’d be a big time favorite to make the NBA Finals. That wouldn’t be the case with a young Suns team.

Even if Durant wanted to come to Phoenix, the Suns might prefer to target younger players. Durant will play next season at 30, compared to Devin Booker at 21 and Deandre Ayton at 20.

Al Horford would be an optimal fit at power forward for the Suns, but he’s 32 and isn’t good enough to make the Suns contenders on his own. They should focus more on players in their 20’s.