With the NBA Draft just days away, it's looking to be a relatively quiet two nights for the Suns, who hold just the 47th pick.
That could quickly change, though, as the Suns have multiple potential trade routes to re-enter Round 1 of the NBA Draft and add another piece of young talent to the roster.
Royce O'Neale is the Suns' ticket back into first round of NBA Draft
With the rise of Rasheer Fleming, the Suns will need to find a way to clear up some minutes for him next season, and Royce O'Neale, the oldest player on the team at 33-years-old, appears to be the odd man out.
That's not to say Royce O'Neale has been bad for the Suns; he actually played a pivotal role in their surprising success this past season, which is why he becomes a useful trade piece this offseason. He shot a career-best 40.8% from 3 on a career-high 6.7 attempts, making him a coveted talent for contending teams across the league.
Making just over $22M over the next two seasons, he's also a relatively affordable option for contenders looking to add some quality veteran depth. Looking at teams picking towards the end of Round 1, like Detroit at #21, they could be tempted by a package featuring a sharpshooting veteran wing. The Suns could even sweeten the deal with their 47th pick, or some of the (few) tradable future picks they hold.
If the addition of promising young talent wasn't enough, the ability to clear up some cap space is also something the Suns should be pursuing this offseason. With the impending free agency for Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and Mark Williams, the Suns will almost certainly need to make some money moves to retain all three of them.
Adding young talent should be a priority for the Suns
Ultimately, the Suns should be looking to add young talent to the roster by any means necessary, just one of the many lessons learned in their playoff sweep to the Thunder.
With the selections of Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming in the 2025 NBA Draft, Phoenix did a good job of replenishing a previously depleted young talent pool, but that young core is still no comparison to many across the NBA.
When looking at the success of many of the NBA's top teams, like the Spurs and Thunder, their rosters were built through the draft and are filled with youth. The Suns may not be able to replicate that exact recipe for success, but they need their fair share of young, affordable players to build around Devin Booker for the long-term future.
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