It's safe to say that Phoenix Suns fans would probably like to forget the events of the last six months. After being seen as one of the top threats to make a deep playoff run in the Western Conference entering the 2024-25 season, the Suns fell completely flat and didn't even finish in the play-in range when the regular season was over.
Of course, the results from this past season have made it pretty clear that change is coming over the summer in Phoenix. Kevin Durant is almost certainly gone, and the front office will have some major soul-searching to do as Devin Booker becomes the sole focal point of the team's identity once again.
But of course, the kicker here is that Mat Ishbia does not want to rebuild. In a way, you can understand not wanting to waste more of Booker's prime years. At the same time, you have to recognize you don't have a contending roster on your hands, and bringing one together is a very tall task given your limited resources.
There are several options Ishbia may go as he attempts to salvage this roster, but one in particular is one he will want to avoid at all costs: Trading with the Sacramento Kings for Domantas Sabonis.
Suns must not trade for a package centered around Domantas Sabonis
Now, on one hand, the Kings have made some pretty awful roster decisions and trades recently. Making a trade with Sacramento probably means you'd have a pretty solid chance of getting back solid value in whatever deal you put together. But the flip side here being that Sabonis is far from the answer for Phoenix.
If you're asking the Suns to go out and finish top six in the Western Conference next year with Booker and Sabonis as your top two players, you're asking for far too much. The most obvious reason why would be the lack of defensive power. Offense sells tickets, but a championship can't be won without defense, and this duo would form an utterly porous combo defensively.
Again, Phoenix would probably be able to re-coup some assets if making a Durant trade with the Kings. Getting back draft picks would be nice, but not at the cost of handicapping your team in the short-term.
Offloading KD in the offseason will have to be a decision executed very carefully. There will obviously be a lot of potential buyers, but the Suns will have to be selective. Bringing in Sabonis just to get a deal done and move on would indicate a serious lack of foresight by this front office.