4 Suns destined to leave Phoenix in 2025

The Phoenix Suns are in a tough spot right now, and there are no quick solutions to try and improve the situation. They are languishing in the bottom third of the Western Conference - and hard as it may be to believe - my find themselves with an uphill battle to even get into the play-in conversation.

There are players they would surely love to trade to try and change their fortunes - but as they are operating in the second apron - that does not seem likely at this moment. Center Jusuf Nurkic is one such individual, but with his value so low around the league right now, the Suns would have to attach something of actual value to ditch him.

There will be others who don't see out the year in Phoenix however.

This is going to include some players who placed highly on the franchise's top players of 2024 - but with the team entering desperation mode - they could be flipped in order to try and secure better days ahead. Some of these decisions won't be popular - while in the case of at least two - fans will pack the bags of these players for them if it means they leave The Valley.

4. Josh Okogie

Josh Okogie continues to feel like the first domino that is going to fall to signal actual change in Phoenix. The worry from the perspective of the front office however, is that a suitable deal to let him go hasn't developed yet. So this one isn't so much Okogie wearing out his welcome, as a fresh start suiting both sides when the time comes.

The issue there is that Okogie was signed to a two-year, $16 million last summer with a view to flipping him for another player. The fact that there currently aren't any that interest the Suns - and let's be honest Okogie's value isn't sky high either - represents a problem. Okogie does still have a spot in the rotation, although at this point it is unclear why.

He's a better and more willing defender than Bradley Beal, while he's a much bigger player than point guard Tyus Jones. Neither are going to give up any real minutes to Okogie however, which is part of his problem in Phoenix. There's no real spot for him in the rotation, and so he has to go so that his spot can go to a player who can help this current roster in more ways than Okogie can.

3. Bol Bol

The least surprising name to appear here, there is no way Bol Bol will see out the year with the Suns. He's most likely to be gone by the trade deadline, although like Okogie it is unclear exactly what the team could get back for him. Bol is on a one-year, minimum contract, so he's only going to be able to net the franchise a player being paid the same amount this year.

Bol exists in this weird space where no competitive team wants him on their roster because he's so poor defensively, while rebuilding groups see him as impeding the progress of their own players. The fact the Suns brought him back last summer is a minor miracle, although it is somewhat surprising head coach Mike Budenholzer has been so against the idea of using him.

Coach Budenholzer loves a big who can shoot a 3-pointer, and Bol most certainly fits the bill. He might be horrendous defensively, but it's not like the Suns are going to be elite on that end anyway. Jones is also a problem for the group nightly because he is undersized, yet his starting spot isn't under any kind of threat. Even if it should be.

The best case scenario then is that the Suns somehow convince a team going nowhere that a rental of the "Bollercoaster" to pique fan interest in exchange for a second round pick is the way to go. The Suns have precious few draft assets as it is, and they did manage to turn a second into Oso Ighodaro in the draft last time out.

2. Grayson Allen

It is sad to see Grayson Allen appear here, but he is the odd man out if the Suns can't convince Beal to waive his no-trade clause and leave. Despite being crucial for the team last season - ironically in the absence of Beal - it just has not happened for Allen in year two in Phoenix, which makes it the perfect time to leave.

He still has a ton of trade value having led the league in 3-point shooting percentage last season, while he's only in the first of a four-year, $70 million extension he received prior to the playoffs beginning last time out. That means that any team that does trade for Allen, has control of a valuable 3-point shooter who is also an above average defender for years to come.

They would be qualities the Suns would love to keep, but the reality is Royce O'Neale is bringing all of that in 2025. He's become their sixth man - and although injuries look like they will always be a part of this group's life as long as they're together - Allen is somebody of actual value who could get the Suns something real back in return.

Right now it is hard to see a viable center option who could become available - but with De'Aaron Fox seemingly available for the right price - you never know what is around the corner. Fans will be sorry to see him go, but he's the best trade candidate that they have in order to actually get better around their current trio of stars.

1. Monte Morris

Before the trade deadline passes, somebody, somewhere is going to realize they can add point guard Monte Morris to their rotation and profit. As things stand it is puzzling that he isn't getting more of a look in with the Suns this season, even if it is hard to argue with the wonderful job that Jones has done.

Like Bol, Morris is on a minimum deal, although another franchise could be tempted to add a second rounder or two plus a player to try and get a deal done. Not that Morris has seen his trade value rise in recent weeks, it is just that he is clearly over-qualified to do basically nothing each night and could get a much bigger role elsewhere in the league.

This can't have been what Morris had in mind when he signed on either - and although those aforementioned injuries mean he is an excellent insurance policy - Jones looks like one of the few guys on this roster who is durable. If the Suns don't plan on playing Morris much in the playoffs - if they even make it that far - why hold onto him beyond the deadline now?

Even if a deal doesn't go down, Morris isn't going to stick around beyond this summer. He's too good to be in the spot that he's in right now - and although he may have to sign another minimum elsewhere next season - has the ability to earn a longer-term deal for more money from there. Which is a shame, because Morris has had some nice moments in Phoenix so far this season.