The Phoenix Suns enjoyed a 113-110 victory over that old enemy in the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, with former center Deandre Ayton having a disastrous performance.
Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale combining for the critical 3-pointer to give their team a badly needed win, and continue to show their value to the Suns in the process.
No other team wanted Allen & O'Neale at deadline despite clear value
The veterans once again coming to save the day is made all the sweeter by the fact both have clearly been available for some time, yet no other franchises have never seriously explored that option.
Allen was mentioned as one of the main players in a potential Jonathan Kuminga trade last offseason, and although he's begun life well with the Atlanta Hawks, the Suns are perhaps fortunate the Golden State Warriors didn't take them up on that offer.
Given the financial situation that Phoenix finds itself in as well, Allen surely was available at the deadline as well and yet he remained in The Valley.
No serious rumors for his services ever hitting the timeline, although the same is not strictly true for O'Neale.
ROYCE O'NEALE HITS THE GO-AHEAD 3 TO WIN IT FOR THE SUNS 🚨
— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2026
HE SCORED THE LAST 7 POINTS FOR PHOENIX! pic.twitter.com/jWFOMMXLiq
In the final days leading up to the deadline it leaked that the Suns were looking for an upgrade at the four. Reading between the lines and they wanted a long-term solution to O'Neale's position.
Only it was his 3-pointer that put the Lakers on ice, and that isn't even the first big shot from deep he's made to help the Suns win a close game since the turn of the calendar year.
Defensively O'Neale usually give up some size, yet he continues to put in probably the best year of his career on that end at 32-years-old.
His own personal numbers may not back up that claim, but he is part of a top 10 defensive unit that head coach Jordan Ott has put together and which he has played his part in creating.
It would be ideal if he was playing more of the Allen role himself, particularly defensively, yet the duo are playing important minutes together as the roster struggles with injuries.
Offensively it has been a slog since the All-Star break, yet here were the two combining for 43 points (O'Neale hitting the last seven, Allen with a team high 28 off the bench) when it mattered the most.
If the Suns are going to make the playoffs, then O'Neale and Allen will have been massive contributors and it is only going to increase their value around the league this offseason.