The Phoenix Suns looked like they were going to rightly do nothing at the trade deadline and work with what they have, but that was until both Devin Booker and Jalen Green went down with injury.
Now the franchise may be more willing to make the kind of small deal that can tide them over for the next couple of months, but unfortunately for them it won't be Keon Ellis of the Sacramento Kings.
Suns don't have first round pick required to nab Ellis
We've spoken before about how Ellis would be the perfect guard to play in head coach Jordan Ott's system. Already it has prolonged the careers of both Jordan Goodwin and Jamaree Bouyea.
NBA insider Marc Stein took to his substack Sunday night as he so often does, with the latest on Ellis that he is indeed available at the cost of a first round pick.
Sunday Best around-the-league notes were weather-affected, like so much else in the NBA this weekend, but they are here now with LOTS of the latest Trade Season Intel: https://t.co/eMOKXbPC6X pic.twitter.com/Ep48EEOVko
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 26, 2026
Which rules the Suns out of the running for the 26-year-old, because the picks they currently have are either not valuable enough, or too prized to give up because of where they fall.
We all know the organization gave up a ton of picks and swaps to get both the Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant trades done, which is why every pick up to 2030 would hold no value to the Kings.
They are much more likely to get an unprotected first round selection between now and the end of the decade from another team that is trying to round out their roster.
They are also likely to be fringe contenders at worst, meaning it is far from a guarantee that they will still be competing by the time the pick conveys.
That is the sweet spot the Kings should be aiming for when finding a partner, and the Suns do not fit the bill. They also have picks beyond 2030, but they are too valuable to give up for Ellis.
Who knows where they'll be by that point? Maybe Booker will be long gone and they will be in the midst of a rebuild and will need all of their own picks.
What if they've won a championship with Booker and Green in tow (you have to believe in this game), and instead need the picks to re-tool around that duo for one final run.
The idea of Ellis in Phoenix is brilliant, but unfortunately the timing is wrong and he will instead go to another team and immediately be a hit.