Right now the role of General Manager of the Phoenix Suns has to be among the least desirable in the entire NBA. Brian Gregory is barely two months into the job, and he's already traded Kevin Durant, seen his front office be active around the NBA Draft and still has to decide how to offload Bradley Beal. In other words, owner Mat Ishbia has put him in a virtually impossible situation to succeed.
The organization is currently taking steps through the draft and via trades to address some of their biggest concerns - namely the need for centers who can have an impact on the defensive end of the court - and Gregory should get some credit for that. Given that the Suns were fleeced in the Kevin Durant deal however, it would be fair to say that he is also likely out of his depth in Phoenix.
Suns need to make a serious run at Sam Presti next summer.
Which is why the most important potential free agent the team could target next summer, is Oklahoma City Thunder GM, Sam Presti. Once you've stopped laughing at the prospect of this actually happening - there was a more realistic conversation on The Bill Simmons podcast below recently about the Los Angeles Lakers or expansion team getting Presti - consider the following.
Presti has now reached the mountain top with the Thunder - and short of building a dynasty for the rest of the decade - there is nothing more for him to achieve there. In fact even if he leaves and the Thunder still manage to win more championships, he is going to get a lot of the credit for that.
The only thing more impressive than getting the small market Thunder over the top, would be doing so with the second apron Suns. It surely has to appeal to the competitor in him - even just a little bit - to be up for the challenge of fixing perhaps the most stuck franchise in the entire league. That would likely start with trading Devin Booker, something you know Presti wouldn't be afraid to do.
We also know Ishbia has no problem paying whatever it takes to win, so financially Presti would be looked after as well. No it wouldn't be living in Los Angeles, but has Presti ever crossed you as a "Hollywood" kind of guy? More difficult to fend off would be an expansion franchise, that could also offer Presti some kind of ownership stake in the team to sweeten the deal.
He is already a legend for how he turned the fortunes around, but fixing the Phoenix Suns would put Presti on another level entirely. Willingly going to such a place and then taking the time to make it competitive again, that is the stuff of legend. Almost like the reverse Kevin Durant when he left Presti and joined the Golden State Warriors. Unlikely? Of course, but we're feeling optimistic after this.