If I were Phoenix Suns rookie millionaire Matt Ishbia, I'd be pretty pissed about the $300 million bill for a 2023-24 NBA roster that's being wiped out by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
And I have no one to blame but myself.
The Suns traded everything but Devin Booker — all available emerging talent and draft assets — to pair the All-NBA guard with future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal. I mortgaged it. Their crowning achievement was a win over Minnesota on the final day of the regular season, earning them the Western Conference's last guaranteed playoff seed and a first-round date with the Timberwolves.
They currently trail that series 3-0, almost guaranteeing an early exit in the Big Three's first season.
The Suns will try to convince themselves they can hang in there for another year. But Booker, Durant and Beal played together in just 41 games.they would say, as if there were no remaining health concerns. They went 26-15 as a trio and had a +6.6 net rating, matching the best in the West. Perhaps championship chemistry will emerge over time.
All they have this offseason is time. It's hard to imagine any team asking for the three years and $161 million left on Beal's contract. (That's right: He's owed $57.1 million from 2026 to 2027.) That means trading Durant or Booker are the other available options for a major roster overhaul. However, the Suns shouldn't rush into either trade. Because returns are almost guaranteed. Significant downgrade.
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Ishbia's win-now declaration leaves the Suns with nothing to offer in free agency other than a minimum salary. In July, they could pair a 2031 second-round pick with a mid-level contract for Grayson Allen, Jusuf Nurkic or Nasir Little, but for what? Good luck building an even deeper roster around your star players, not to mention players who can compete.
They need a great point guard and a defensive-minded center, and they don't have either. They had Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, who helped at least reach the second round last season, but traded them for Beal and Nurkic. Relocating role players around huge salaries won't solve the problem.
And the problem is, despite having a surplus of elite talent in Booker, Durant, and Beal, the Suns didn't even take advantage of that surplus. There's no reason these three should headline a team that ranks 25th in 3-point attempts. They were too busy leading the league in long two shots, the lowest value in the NBA. If they fix that, they'll be off to a good start, but there's a gap between losing in the first round and winning four series.
The real question is how much it costs to put this trio together and how much it costs to keep them. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, their salary prevents them from a) signing someone to the mid-level exception; b) Get back more salary than you paid. c) Trade their 2031 first round draft pick (the only pick they have left). d) Purchase a second round pick. e) Sign someone in the buyout market.
In other words, the options are endless. People like Monte Morris may have too much blood.
The Suns may have to grapple with the idea of whether this is okay. The trio, who don't seem interested in making their first playoff appearance, may have to hold out for another two years. Another new head coach (one who actually designs a coordinated offense around three perimeter scorers) and a veteran team of rookies will give them no fan base anymore, at least until they run into the same problem next season. I could give it a year.
There are no guarantees, even if that assumes Durant and Booker's happiness. Both can request trades. Durant turns 36 in September, and it's time to chase another ring. Like the rest of us, Booker can see the writing on the wall. Does he really want to spend the next three years of his prime tied to a onerous contract with Beal? This offseason could lead to a standoff among all involved. Who will bail first?
And maybe it should be the Suns. It remains to be seen how much value the 36-year-old Durant has as a permanent threat of departure. Phoenix needs to figure out how quickly the pick-laden package they received in return can turn into a contender around Booker, and whether it's better than what they already have in Durant. There will be. Booker's value is much higher, but trading him almost certainly signals a full-scale rebuild. After all, what's an instant upgrade better than him?
The healthiest path for the Suns to take did it We need to trade both and accept the breakup. However, they don't control a single draft pick of their own for the rest of the decade. It's also hard to imagine a world in which Ishbia stakes his reputation on this all-in strategy and then immediately admits defeat.
Then again, he may have no other choice. His strategy didn't work and he's now stuck with it. The next two seasons will only cost an additional $300 million each. Is just one playoff win too much to ask?
