The Phoenix Suns eagerly welcomed new owner Mat Ishbia after nearly two decades of Robert Sarver owning the team. It was a needed change, and Ishbia wasted zero time getting to work. He immediately traded a massive haul to land Kevin Durant. It was a risky deal for an aging superstar, but Ishbia was not done. The billionaire also acquired Bradley Beal to form a Big 3 in Phoenix.
Ishbia thought he was building a super team, but the Suns won one playoff series in the last two years. They added depth and attacked some weaknesses in the offseason, but are just 21-21 and looking mediocre. Phoenix struggles against the best teams and has just one first-round draft pick and one second-rounder to trade to upgrade their roster.
The Suns are stuck in the middle and may be forced to explore trading Durant to recoup some assets. Ishbia has not made them a title contender after breaking up a roster that made the NBA Finals in 2021. His recklessness may create an NBA rule change.
Mat Ishbia could force the NBA to name a rule after him
The Suns' owner does not care about draft capital. He has traded four first-round picks, five first-round swaps, and eight straight second-round picks since taking over the team in Feb. 2023. Ishbia wants to win immediately. He is not concerned about the future or what the franchise must spend. He is focused on improving the roster right now. It is why Ishbia wants the Suns to land Jimmy Butler. The star’s age and injury history don’t matter if he helps Phoenix win immediately.
The owner would have traded the other first-round draft picks if he had been allowed, but the NBA has a rule preventing franchises from sending them out in consecutive seasons. It is named after former Cleveland Cavaliers owner Ted Stepien, who recklessly traded away his draft capital.
Ishbia could be on the verge of getting similar treatment. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst noted an executive joked about it (subscription required) in his insider’s notebook. Those quips could become serious if the Suns turn into a disaster over the next decade. The NBA was forced to create the Stepein Rule after an owner’s mistakes. Ishbia could push the league to act again.
The rule would likely prevent owners from making blockbuster deals the moment they take over the team. Ishbia dealt nearly all of the franchise’s draft capital in four months. The NBA would need to figure out a timeline, but fans could be witnessing history before their eyes.
Can Ishbia and the Suns’ front office find an escape route? They want to trade for Jimmy Butler but must get Bradley Beal to waive his no-trade clause. Consider that unlikely, but crazier things have happened.
If Phoenix is forced to blow it up, it could be years before the franchise returns to contention. Nobody wants that, but it may force the NBA to create the Ishbia Rule. Let’s hope it does not come to that.