4 way too early players to target in 2025 free agency

The Phoenix Suns were active this offseason, remaking the back end of their roster in impressive fashion. Not only did they manage to nab a pair of point guards in Tyus Jones and Monte Morris - plus Collin Gillespie and TyTy Washington - they also signed Mason Plumlee to replace Drew Eubanks.

To get all of these players on minimum deals was a masterstroke by the front office, who continue to create minor miracles while being mired in the second apron. Despite these additions, the Suns are still being slept on, and only an MVP run from Devin Booker and the continued excellence of Kevin Durant will change that narrative.

The Suns should always be preparing for the future, which is why they need to be keeping tabs on these four players ahead of 2025 free agency.

Owner Mat Ishbia has already gone on record as saying that this group has a two year window to try and win a championship - and if they fall short this coming season - they need to be able to pivot to new role players to help the cause immediately.

4. Clint Capela

Beginning with the most unrealistic of the bunch - which as you will see is saying something - and Clint Capela would be a fantastic addition to beef up their front line. Current starting big man Jusuf Nurkic will be entering the last year of his current deal - and if he is not traded before then - the Suns are sure to look at other options to improve at center.

The reason this is unlikely to happen is because Capela is not a minimum contract player - at least not yet anyway - and is sure to attract considerable interest when he hits unrestricted free agency next summer. Still only 30-years-old, last season for the Atlanta Hawks he started all 73 games he appeared in, playing over 25 minutes each night.

Trading for Capela is also difficult, as the Suns can't take any more money in than they send out in a potential deal. They also can't cobble together contracts to take on a bigger deal, both a result of that pesky second apron. About the only hope here is that every other franchise spends their money elsewhere, and sees Capela as a diminishing asset. Unlikely, but not impossible.

3. Al Horford

A tricky one to place the true value on, but center Al Horford will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. By that point he'll be 39-years-old and he's probably worth more to the Boston Celtics than any other organization in the league. Their roster set up in such a way that his impact off the bench is huge for them.

But if the Celtics decide to move in a different direction, Horford could hit unrestricted free agency. He's still talented enough to command the midlevel for example, but his advanced age is a sticking factor. Something else to consider is his stint with the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder sandwiched in between his six seasons and counting with the Celtics.

In both other stops he failed to hit the heights achieved in Boston, and other organizations would be wary of committing to Horford for that reason as well. Is there a chance then that he becomes available for the minimum and the Suns can take advantage? They somehow got a younger, starter calibre player in Jones on the same deal, so it could happen.

Another important factor at play here is the fact money surely doesn't mean as much to Horford in his final couple of seasons than winning. Why sign for a rebuilding franchise when you could take less and chase a championship? A strong showing this season could see Horford decide The Valley is the location to spend the rest of his career.

2. Ben Simmons

We know - this is a wild suggestion - but stick with us here as we try and make the case. There is no way Ben Simmons is going to get offered anything resembling big money to continue in the league once the final year of his current five-year, $177 million monster deal comes off the books for the Brooklyn Nets next summer.

His value is at an all-time low, so much so that some don't even think he'll stick around in the NBA much longer anyway. Not playing in 2021-22 was an ugly episode best forgotten, and there's every chance Durant will tell the Suns' front office to stay away having seen up close while in Brooklyn himself just how Simmons operates.

But on the other hand, who else are the Suns going to spend the minimum on? Players like Bol Bol? A ton of fun to be sure, but it is unclear where he fits in with this group of players. He also does not have the talent level to actually help this group win a playoff series, but rather is a problem for opponents to solve in three minute bursts.

Simmons is still only 28, has been a three-time All-Star and defensively can be a game-changer. Yes he's potentially a problem for the culture of the team, but perhaps he's beginning to realize his time in the league is running out. What better place to try and salvage a career than with three stars in Phoenix as a difference-maker on the defensive end.

1. Steven Adams

Now we've settled into what looks like an ideal - but equally as important - realistic landing point in the form of New Zealand bruiser, Steven Adams. The Kiwi didn't play at all for the Houston Rockets last season as a result of a knee injury, and it feels like the league has passed his plodding style of play by.

Certainly on the offensive end he lags behind Nurkic in terms of what he can do to connect the stars and role players of the Suns. Adams makes his money as an enforcer, setting bone-crunching screens for teammates to get some space and patrolling the paint on the opposite end of the court.

This is actually something the Suns need though, with Nurkic alone not enough to fight off the bigs of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs last time out. He's making just over $12 million next season, but it is clear the Rockets have moved on without him. It would not be a surprise to see him traded before the deadline.

Once he hits unrestricted free agency, there will not be a rush for his signature. Then again if the minimum is all it would take to have him as backup center, then a couple of teams could show interest. The San Antonio Spurs might want protection for Victor Wembanyama for example, but Phoenix could be a nice solution for both team and player.