Phoenix Suns fans are not unfamiliar with their favorite franchise trading away talented players. A number of big names have moved on from the organization, including several guys who are still active and making other fan bases proud. But what’s the best lineup of active NBA players we can cobble together who used to play for the Suns?
We’re deep into the offseason now, so let’s take a look at what that lineup would look like, while also providing a glimpse at players the Suns probably should have kept around.
Point guard: Ty Jerome, Memphis Grizzlies
After being drafted with the No. 24 pick of the 2019 draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, Ty Jerome was subsequently traded by Philly to the Boston Celtics for Matisse Thybulle. Not even one month later, Boston then shipped Jerome along with big man Aron Baynes to the Suns in exchange for a 2020 first-round pick. That pick turned into 20-point-per-game scorer Desmond Bane, who’s now with the Orlando Magic.
Jerome didn’t last long with Phoenix, either, playing just one season (31 games) before he was traded yet again in the deal that brought future Hall of Famer Chris Paul to The Valley — safe to say the Suns don’t regret that deal.
However, Jerome has since developed into a very solid NBA player. He had a breakout season for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2024-25, averaging what was, at the time, a career-high 12.5 points to go along with 3.4 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game. He finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting and then signed a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies in the summer of 2025.
Jerome proved the breakout wasn’t a fluke, averaging a career-best 19.7 points per game on 47.4 percent shooting (42 percent from 3-point range) across 15 starts in Memphis. Injuries held him back, but Jerome has developed into a very reliable NBA scorer.
Shooting guard: Grayson Allen
Among the most recent Suns players to be shipped away, Allen ranks 10th in Suns franchise history with 513 made 3-pointers. He reached that standing despite playing parts of just three seasons in Phoenix and was propped up by making a sterling 205 triples during the 2023-24 season. Now, Allen will suit up for the Charlotte Hornets following the widely panned Miles Bridges trade.
Small forward: Mikal Bridges
The NBA Ironman needs no introduction.
Mikal Bridges was a fan favorite during his time in The Valley, forming “The Twins” duo with fellow traded wing Cam Johnson. The Suns reached the 2021 NBA Finals with those aforementioned youngsters in tow, but they didn’t get much of a chance to build on that success. He's since gone on to win an NBA championship with the New York Knicks.
Bridges was traded in the blockbuster to land the next player in the lineup…
Power forward: Kevin Durant
It’s safe to say Kevin Durant does not look back fondly at his time with the Suns organization. The future Hall of Famer said he felt “scapegoated” by the organization after he was traded in yet another blockbuster deal to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks.
The KD era in Phoenix never truly had a chance to flourish due to a combination of the shortsighted Bradley Beal trade and the front office not finding the right fit on the coaching staff.
In a different multiverse timeline, perhaps the Suns were able to end their championship drought with Durant — but it wasn’t meant to be in the here and now.
Center: Jusuf Nurkic
You could make an argument for former No. 1 overall draft pick Deandre Ayton in this slot, but provided he was waived by the Portland Trail Blazers and unceremoniously traded by the Los Angeles Lakers since being bounced from The Valley, we’ll go a different route.
Like Ayton, Nurkic also had an up-and-down tenure with the Suns. He only lasted parts of two seasons in Phoenix before being traded away to Charlotte.
Although “The Bosnian Beast” is now on the wrong side of 30, he still had a solid year for the Utah Jazz a season ago, averaging a double-double with 10.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game across 41 games played. He even dished out 4.8 assists per contest on a rebuilding Utah squad.
Jusuf Nurkic takes the helm, sails Bosnia and Herzegovina to the victory 💪
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 🏆 (@FIBAWC) August 28, 2026
25 PTS, 14 REB and 28 EFF for a CRUCIAL win, as BIH stay alive in #FIBAWC Qualifiers. pic.twitter.com/mWdAdx9IAg
More recently, Nurk put together a great performance in a win for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, finishing with 25 points and 14 rebounds in a tight win over Italy.
Add us as a preferred source on Google