After trading for Kevin Durant in 2023, the Phoenix Suns have not made it past the Conference Semifinals. With Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Durant, they got bounced in the first round to the upstart Minnesota Timberwolves last year, and their current 14-11 record and sixth-place standing in the Western Conference shouldn’t inspire the most confidence this season.
The Suns are unlikely to make a massive trade and boost their odds this season. Booker is the face of the franchise, Durant, at age 36, is averaging an incredibly efficient 25.7 points per game, and Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he would have to approve any deal. However, if the Suns can find an attractive enough landing spot for Beal, they might be able to flip him.
Set to make $53.6 million next year and $57.1 million the year after that, Beal has possibly the worst contract in the NBA. The Suns have made it clear that they want to win, and adding a player who fills an area of need has quickly become a necessity.
Should the Lakers trade away LeBron James, it makes sense that Anthony Davis will be the next domino to fall. Jusuf Nurkić is posting only 9.2 points and ten rebounds this season on inefficient shooting, so if the Suns smell blood in the water, they should pounce on Davis.
If the Lakers deal away both James and Davis, it’s safe to say that a rebuild is inevitable. The Suns don’t have any first-round picks to trade, but they could offer a substantial package.
By giving up Beal, Mason Plumlee, rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro and two second-round picks, the Suns could match the incoming salaries of Davis, Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxwell Lewis and two-way player Armel Traore. While the Lakers would prefer draft picks, Dunn and Ighodaro would fit in well next to Dalton Knecht in the future.
While Beal might not want to be traded to a rebuilding Lakers team, he is likely not going to win a ring with the Suns this year, so being the face of the biggest franchise in the NBA might be enough to sway him to waive his clause, even if it means playing on a rebuilding team.
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