The NBA trade deadline is mere days away, and all of the intel out of Phoenix so far is that they won't be making any big moves like the ones we have seen in the past.
We came up with an unconventional mock trade that would see the Suns land a Los Angeles Laker who has fallen out of the rotation, but fans weren't too enthusiastic about that.
Suns considering upgrade to power forward position
What we do know, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, is that the Suns would upgrade at power forward if the right player came along.
It is unclear who that could be, although Bobby Portis of the Milwaukee Bucks would make a lot of sense if Giannis Antetokounmpo does move on to pastures new in the coming days.
This also means the Suns are open to moving on from Royce O'Neale, and although harsh given how well he has played for the team since joining, it does make sense.
Royce O'Neale X Suns assistant Jesse Mermuys = working on 3s.
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 28, 2026
O'Neale 0-for-12 from 3 last two games. #Suns pic.twitter.com/u0PDf4Hjow
Head coach Jordan Ott has done extremely well to get above average defensive play out of the 32-year-old, while his elite 3-point shooting alongside Devin Booker has been an excellent foil for Devin Booker.
But we've hit the sweet spot with O'Neale now where he is not going to be at his peak when the Suns hope to be true contenders again, while he still has over two years remaining on a team friendly deal.
He is also not the ideal power forward for a coach Ott system, with Isaiah Livers a better fit and having proven that when available this season.
So the time to begin to move away from O'Neale is now, even if a perfect replacement for him doesn't currently exist on the market.
Swapping Nick Richards for Guerschon Yabusele can be done financially, but the bruising French international is hardly a long-term solution and will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Chris Boucher is another name that has come up, although what the Suns have to offer the Boston Celtics if that were to happen is unclear.
Really the Giannis situation is holding everything up, and only once he has been moved will other players begin to become available.
Perhaps Phoenix can revisit a Jonathan Kuminga conversation then, assuming he hasn't landed in Milwaukee before then.
There is also something to be said for keeping O'Neale and adding another power forward, given his clean fit and obvious impact he has had on the Suns' chemistry.