This offseason has been a massive one for the Phoenix Suns, as they finally changed course and decided to re-tool around their 28-year-old superstar in Devin Booker. This meant moving on from both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal - no easy feat when they were above the second apron - and recouping as much value as they could for the pair.
Whatever your thoughts on what they did bring back to The Valley for them, this has had the knock-on impact of changing the perception of several other moves that were done at a time when the Suns were trying to be contenders. Trading away Deandre Ayton for example isn't effected by this, but unfortunately one trade is becoming even worse.
Sending away Toumani Camara an absolute disaster for Suns.
You likely remember but rookie Toumani Camara - who had only played in Summer League for the Suns up to that point - was included in the trade that netted Phoenix Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson. This was done to finally get away from Ayton, and the goal was to bring back a center who could be the perfect foil next to Booker, Durant and Beal.
We know how with hindsight how foolish that was, but moving on from Nurkic at the deadline made the Camara inclusion even worse. The Belgian quickly establishing himself as one of the best perimeter defenders in the entire league in only his second season, which was why it was no surprise to see him named second team All-Defense last season too. Amazing work for a sophomore player.
Active hands never go out of style.
— Mike Jagacki (@Mike_Jagacki) August 15, 2025
Toumani Camara crowds passers, but pops back on rips and jabs. One hand traces the ball high, the other stays low for the rip — textbook old-school fundamentals that still work at the highest level.
It’s having an impact on the ball, not just… pic.twitter.com/hywj68xP9F
The Suns on the other hand - after trying to make Nurkic the answer - instead broke up a valuable future first round pick into three less enticing selections, and packaged one of them with the Bosnian to the Charlotte Hornets. To the surprise of nobody the Hornets have already moved off Nurkic too, which makes the Suns look even stupider.
On top of all of that, Phoenix added a center from Charlotte in Nick Richards at the deadline, who they are now reportedly trying to move on from. The fix? Rookie Khaman Maluach - who is as raw as they come - and yet another big man from Charlotte in the often-injured Mark Williams. An excellent addition if he can stay healthy, but one who comes with a huge caveat.
His rookie deal will soon be up, and it will be up to the Suns to pay him. All of that heartache, and if they'd just kept Camara they could have extended him and had this team's version of Mikal Bridges on the roster for the rest of the decade. Big things are expected from second year player Ryan Dunn this coming season, and even if he exceeds expectations he won't be on Camara's level.
The final nail in the coffin here? The Suns are now not a contender anymore, and so Camara would have had all the minutes to morph into the player we know he is going to become. All so Durant and Beal could have an offensive-minded big man who is capable of passing out of the post and being physical on the other end. One of the worst decisions this front office has made.