The Phoenix Suns have recently traded for Bradley Beal, and this is a move that many believe can get them over the hump in their pursuit of a championship. Beal is known for being an elite scorer, who also has solid playmaking ability.
After this trade, it is fair to say that the Phoenix Suns are very top-heavy. The majority of their salary is tied into four contracts. In 2023-24, Kevin Durant will make $47.6 million, Bradley Beal will make $46.7 million, Devin Booker will get $36.0 million, and Deandre Ayton will earn a little more than $32.4 million. They have very little flexibility, and one injury could ruin their plans of winning a championship. Jusuf Nurkic roasted the Suns following their trade for Bradley Beal, noting that this situation is eerily similar to the Nets during Kevin Durant’s tenure.
To be fair, the Brooklyn Nets had an elite trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, and definitely looked like a championship team. However, Kyrie Irving and James Harden both got hurt in the second round against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, and the rest is history.
The Phoenix Suns’ plan as of right now is likely to fill out the roster with ring-chasing veterans. Relying on older players to stay healthy can be risky due to the grueling regular season, but the Suns are clearly banking on their team being more talented than anyone else.
The Suns Could Still Explore More Trades
Even though the team already traded for Bradley Beal, it is quite possible that the Phoenix Suns will try to make more moves. Their lack of depth as of right now is concerning, and moving one of their big contracts is likely the way to go. Since Deandre Ayton is the worst big-money player on their roster, it makes sense to move him. In fact, some previous reports revealed that the team will aggressively try to move him.
The key obviously is getting some quality contributors for Deandre Ayton and filling out the roster. From a financial perspective, it is about splitting his deal into multiple smaller contracts, so one has tradeable money in the future. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the Suns in the future, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see them make more trades.
