The Phoenix Suns must make changes after a nightmare season where they missed the postseason entirely with the largest payroll in the NBA. Phoenix has to get below the second tax apron to reset their roster. Fans keep hearing the Kevin Durant trade rumors, but Devin Booker is expected to remain with the Suns.
Trading KD alone is not enough. The Suns need to completely remake their roster around Book to be a serious contender. It will mean letting players like Vasilije Micic, Damion Lee, and Mason Plumlee walk in free agency. Phoenix would love to dump Bradley Beal, but his no-trade clause and massive salary make that nearly impossible.
There is no preventing the Suns from shaking things up. There will be several personnel changes, including these five who are done in the Valley of the Sun.
5. Monte Morris
Phoenix completely retooled the point guard position by bringing in Morris and Tyus Jones on minimum deals. They wanted a distributor on the floor at all times. Morris has an outstanding assist-to-turnover ratio for his career, which created plenty of hype, but it never translated to on-court production.
Morris averaged 5.2 points and 1.6 assists in 12.7 minutes per game over 45 contests. He was not part of the rotation after the February shakeup. The 29-year-old won’t return as his one-year minimum contract will make him a free agent again.
Expect him to look for an opportunity to be the backup point guard on a contender. Morris played well in Denver and Washington before struggling to get a consistent role the last two seasons. He played his last game with the Suns, and Morris risks being out of the league if he cannot prove himself in his next stop.
4. Nick Richards
The Suns acquired Richards to fill their massive hole at the five. It only cost them a net of two second-round picks, but the seven-footer failed to shine.
He averaged 9.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 22.7 minutes per game over 36 contests. The 27-year-old started 34 times, but his run was inconsistent. Richards produced a negative-0.4 value over replacement player (VORP) during his time in Phoenix, which did little to help his case for more playing time.
Richards is on a $5 million non-guaranteed contract for the 2025-26 season. If Phoenix wants to trim its payroll, trading Richards to a team eager to land a backup big man seems wise. It cuts the money off their books and likely nets them a couple of second-round draft picks.
The Suns must solve their center woes this offseason. Nick Richards proved he is not the answer. Phoenix needs a rim-protector and roll man at the five. Expect the front office to search for that piece, but finding it won’t be easy.
3. Cody Martin
The Suns acquired Martin in the Jusuf Nurkic salary dump. It was a chance to add a 6’5 wing to their rotation. Martin spent his entire career in Charlotte, and Phoenix hoped playing for a postseason berth would help him unlock a new level.
Instead, Martin barely earned his way onto the floor. He averaged 3.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.9 steals in 14.7 minutes per game over 14 contests. That included shooting 35.1 percent from the field and making just three of his 27 3-point attempts. Martin produced a negative VORP and was downright disastrous for the Suns.
The 29-year-old contract is fully non-guaranteed for the 2025-26 season. Phoenix wants to trim its payroll and letting Cody Martin walk in free agency fits that goal. Expect the 6’5 wing to find a new home, but it will likely be for the veteran minimum after his struggles with the Suns.
2. Tyus Jones
Jones agreed to join the Suns on a one-year minimum contract after the free-agent market dried up. The 6’1 guard was promised a starting role, but nothing went as planned.
Jones rarely turns the ball over and seemed like a strong fit to get the Suns' stars in positions to succeed. The problem was it didn’t work. Fans would think it was the defense that failed, but the Suns had a 111.9 defensive rating with Durant, Booker, Beal, and Jones sharing the floor. It was the offense that faltered to just 107.4 points per 100 possessions. For context, if those were their full-season numbers, the Suns would have finished ninth in defensive rating and 28th on offense.
Tyus Jones is not a starting point guard. He is an elite reserve who will shine if he accepts that role. Jones will be searching for more money this offseason, but may be forced to settle for another minimum contract after the disaster in Phoenix.
1. Kevin Durant
The Suns need to trade Durant. They cannot run it back with the same roster, and no team is taking on Bradley Beal’s contract. Devin Booker wants to make the Suns his lone franchise, which leaves KD as their only avenue to reshape their roster and trim payroll. Phoenix will not recoup the price they paid, but the Suns must make this move.
Durant turns 37 in September, but he is not slowing down. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 36.5 minutes per game. KD shot 52.7 percent from the field and 43.0 percent on his 3-point attempts. He is one of the best scorers in NBA history. The only thing left to chase for the future Hall of Famer is a third championship.
The Phoenix Suns should trade Kevin Durant to the highest bidder this offseason as part of a massive shakeup. They want to build around D-Book, which means cutting ties with several key pieces.
Things are changing fast in the Valley, and these won’t be the only five players who are done with the franchise. The Suns future is bleak and will only get worse unless they can trade their way out of it. Booker is the only player who is safe, and that may not last long. Only time will tell.