The Phoenix Suns have two players they can realistically trade this offseason to try and improve in the form of Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale.
Already we've seen an interesting mock deal with the Denver Nuggets which includes both of them, but that does not look likely to happen. Packaging both together would have to give the Suns something real in return, while there are no other franchises who have a need for both.
Allen has more trade value to the Suns than O'Neale this offseason
Despite making more money and being injured once again for part of their brief playoff appearance, Allen still has more value throughout the league than O'Neale. This despite O'Neale, who will turn 33-years-old in the coming days, being more available and having proven he can play alongside superstars.
When Kevin Durant was in town alongside Devin Booker, it was O'Neale who was trusted to be out there late in games to try and close them. His combination of 3-point shooting and defending the perfect compliment to those bigger names.
Allen is two-and-a-half years younger than his teammate, and like O'Neale has two years left on his current deal. That final year is a player option, which is the kind of potential flexibility that O'Neale does not have.
That also factors into Allen being the more valuable of the two, as another organization could ask him to opt out and extend him again on a team-friendly deal, or else use that fact in their own trade talks down the road. Allen's yearly figure sits near $20 million for the remainder of his current contract, while O'Neale will make $10 million this season and just over $11 million in his final year.
But Allen has led the entire league in 3-point shooting, and is one of the more underrated defenders in the league at his postition. That nasty streak does exist as well, and while it shouldn't be celebrated there is no doubting Allen is competitive.
He's also a better secondary playmaker than O'Neale, the kind of player who could excel for any number of contenders. You could see him going off for the Los Angeles Lakers (shudder...), or being the player the Minnesota Timberwolves were missing once Donte DiVincenzo went down.
O'Neale appears to be the better veteran presence for younger teammates, but the conditions need to be ideal in order for him to really thrive.
Allen can make those conditions himself, working well out of screen sets to get open or using a big man to get his shot off. Comparisons between the two make sense because of their similar games, but Allen is the most valuable and realistic trade candidate the Suns have.
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