Despite having a season to forget, the Phoenix Suns did at least manage to get rid of Jusuf Nurkic at the trade deadline. the Bosnian big man becoming a scapegoat for all that had gone wrong throughout the season up to that point, despite previous head coach Frank Vogel being able to create a (slightly) above league average defensive scheme around him.
They got two players in return from the Charlotte Hornets - Cody Martin and Vasilije Micic - and although Micic barely played and isn't going to be kept around, there were moments to like from Martin. Take the above picture for example, with Martin having no problem defending bigger players and elite scorers for possessions at a time.
Martin sadly has to be cut by the Suns to save money this offseason.
In an ideal world, Martin would round out the second unit next season. He's not a consistent 3-point shooter and he's never managed more than 6.2 points in a single season, but he does enough on the defensive end to earn spot minutes. He also brings a level of caring and work-rate to the team that was badly lacking last season.
But the second part of the Nurkic trade - which was forgotten at the time as fans lost their minds over the breaking up of their most valuable draft pick asset to get a deal done - was that they moved off his contract. The numbers had to match up in any deal, and Micic and Martin combined do make what Nurkic was in 2024-25, which was just over $18 million.
Cody Martin is a beast. Watch him stick with Coby White on this possession and throw this shot attempt right back in his face pic.twitter.com/s7hru3LnI5
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) March 20, 2025
The franchise now has the option to decline Micic's team option for next season - at around $8.1 million - and you can be sure they'll do that, which leaves Martin and the $8.7 million he is owed. Should the Suns choose to waive him - which again financially makes the most sense - they could save up to $100 million across the next few years, and also get closer to the second apron.
Being above that pesky apron is part of the reason the Suns are in the cap mess they find themselves, although they don't have anybody else to blame. They traded for Bradley Beal and his no-trade clause, while Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are obviously max players as well.
Mentioned immediately upon the trade that Cody Martin would have instant impact with his defensive activity & playmaking
— Stephen PridGeon-Garner 🏁 (@StephenPG3) March 22, 2025
His instincts & multiple efforts are a shot this team has *needed* & the ability to guard up is a true asset
Watch him on the switch with Oso here, on Mobley pic.twitter.com/F1KxWrmaYO
By ditching Nurkic and subsequently moving on from Martin and Micic, the team are making real progress to clean up their cap situation which should help them make trades and sign free agents down the road. The bigger domino to fall here is Durant - and assuming he does leave Phoenix this summer - the list of potential trades for the 36-year-old appears to grow by the day.
At a time when Bob Myers is being linked with an executive role in The Valley - and with the search for a new head coach only just beginning for the third time in three summers - this looks like a smart move that is going to help the franchise in the long-run. That kind of forward planning hasn't been seen much since Mat Ishbia bought the franchise, and it is a welcome change of pace.