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[Phoenix Suns]

Could the league be holding off a Kevin Durant trade until after the Finals?

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Put on your conspiracy hats with me on this one...

As the NBA Finals lurches toward a winner-take-all Game 7, we enter the league’s true silly season. Not free agency, not the draft...conspiracy season. And how could it not be? The dots are practically begging to be connected.

You see Orlando sling four first-round picks and a swap to Memphis for Desmond Bane. Desmond Bane! A sniper, sure, but a guy with zero All-Star nods and not a whiff of All-NBA. And just as you start scratching your head, the itch travels to your frontal lobe because then you remember: Luka Doncic was just traded to the Lakers. For Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and one first-round pick. One. Singular. Uno.

Then the real fun begins. The newly Luka-fied Lakers get sold for $10 billion, instantly boosting the valuation of every franchise across the league. The NBA smiles. Expansion talks heat up. And the Mavericks? They get rewarded like good little corporate soldiers with the No. 1 pick in the draft despite holding a sad little 1.8% chance.

And that pick? It’s Cooper Flagg. The ultimate prize. The golden goose with a killer first step and vision that sees through walls. The league’s next great connector gifted to a franchise that just played ball with the NBA in the most literal sense possible.

Coincidence? Maybe. But come on. This is the NBA. Where nothing ever really happens in isolation, and everything has a scent of staging. rozen envelopes n’ such. So yeah, who doesn’t love a good conspiracy? Especially when it smells like success, sweat, and a backroom handshake.

So as we all sit here waiting for the Phoenix Suns to finally pull the trigger on the Kevin Durant deal, there’s a small, shadowy part of your brain, the part where the conspiracies live, that starts whispering.

What if the league asked them to wait?

The NBA Finals is going to Game 7. So does the KD trade get put on ice a little longer? Can’t steal the spotlight from the main event, right?

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) June 20, 2025​

I mean, think about it. We’re on the doorstep of the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 2016. The basketball world is locked in. And suddenly, trading Kevin Durant could shatter the narrative like a rogue sledgehammer. This isn’t Desmond Bane we’re talking about (and no offense to the Bane Brigade, but come on). This is a top-15 all-time player. A global icon. A walking headline.

So maybe Adam Silver and Co. made a quiet call. A subtle, soft-spoken nudge. Something like, “Let’s not hijack the moment.” Let Game 7 breathe. Let the eyes stay fixed on the court. Protect the crown jewel event of the season from being overshadowed by a megaton trade that would dominate the news cycle for a week.

OK, fine. I’ll fold up the tin foil hat and tuck it back in the drawer. Maybe the league didn’t step in. Maybe no one pulled strings or whispered behind closed doors. Maybe the Suns are just taking their sweet time to get this right.

There’s no official deadline looming. No red blinking clock in the war room forcing a Saturday decision. Sure, they’d like to move Durant before the draft to squeeze value out of a pick or two. But if the right deal’s not there? They’ll wait. We’ll wait. The whole damn league will wait.

Because eventually, this thing’s going down. You don’t dangle Durant and walk it back. The only question is when. And until then, we live in limbo, half watching Game 7, half checking for that inevitable trade notification that’s coming.

Just…not yet.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...ame-7-flagg-luka-doncic-lakers-thunder-pacers

 

[Phoenix Suns]

SBN Reacts: Most Suns fans now regret aquiring Kevin Durant

Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images

Phoenix has underperformed during the Durant era, but do Suns fans think the team should regret trading for him?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Phoenix Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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While it hasn’t happened yet, Kevin Durant is expected to be traded from the Phoenix Suns in the near future. With his time in Phoenix likely coming to a close, many have said that the Suns should regret trading the haul they did to get him back in 2023, and nearly 3/4ths of the community echoes the sentiment.

With reports Durant wants to end up with the Houston Rockets or the San Antonio Spurs, the Slim Reaper could be traded to a team with good odds to win next year’s title, according to FanDuel.

Where do you think Durant will be playing next season?

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I can’t say I’m surprised by how many people believe the Suns should regret trading for Kevin Durant. Hindsight, as always, is 20/20. And when the story of this era in Phoenix Suns history is told, it likely won’t be with reverence or warmth.

The moment the trade happened, it was electric. Hope surged. Expectations soared. Durant brought with him the promise of greatness. An elite scorer, a generational talent. But now, as we sift through the wreckage of another disappointing season, 73% of Suns fans say they regret the deal. Not because of who Durant is as a player. But because the franchise is in a worse position now than it was before his arrival.

And no, that’s not entirely on him. The moves made after his acquisition — the roster shakeups, the lack of continuity, the coaching carousel — helped derail the momentum. But his arrival signaled a turning point. A shift in identity.

And sadly, that shift took the Suns further from winning, not closer.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

Please subscribe, rate, and review.

Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...st-suns-fans-now-regret-aquiring-kevin-durant

 

[Phoenix Suns]

The Suns may not be playing tonight, but Game 7 will still bring back memories

Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

The Phoenix Suns have seen it all in Game 7s, from triumph to total collapse.

Tonight, we witness something that has only occurred 19 times in the history of the NBA: a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Rarer than a Phoenix Suns postseason appearance (30 times), more nerve-wracking than a missed free throw in crunch time. History leans heavily toward the home team, with a 15–4 record in those previous matchups. But the Indiana Pacers are hoping to author their own twist ending, one that rewrites the odds against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

No matter how this final chapter concludes, this series has been a masterclass in toughness and tenacity. Two defensive-minded squads battling for every inch, every possession. It’s been a fitting crescendo to a wild and unpredictable 2024–25 season.

Game 7. The phrase alone tightens your chest. And for Suns fans? It still stings. You remember, don’t you? May 15, 2022. The 64-win Suns getting blown out 123–90 on their own floor by the Dallas Mavericks. A season full of promise undone in 48 unforgettable and unforgivable minutes. That’s the curse of Game 7s. They don’t care about records, talent, or momentum. They only care about who shows up when the lights burn brightest.

Which brings us to Phoenix’s own history with these ultimate tests. The Suns have played in 10 Game 7s in their franchise’s lifetime, with a record of 4–6. A mix of triumph, heartbreak, and what-ifs.

Here’s a brief look at those battles, moments where everything was on the line and only one team could move forward.

April 9, 1970: Lakers 129, Suns 94​

It’s hard to win a basketball game when the other team has 30 points from Wilt Chamberlain, 27 rebounds from Wilt Chamberlain, and 15 assists from Jerry West.

That was the uphill battle the Phoenix Suns faced in their very first postseason appearance in just their second season as an NBA franchise. Their reward? A date with a battle-tested Lakers squad still burning from a seven-game Finals loss in 1969, and one that would again fall short in seven games to the Knicks that very same postseason.

For the young Suns, it was a brutal welcome to playoff basketball. For the Lakers, it was business as usual, superstars playing like supernovas when it mattered most.

SetNumber: X14814

May 16, 1976: Suns 94, Warriors 86​

On their way to the franchise’s first-ever NBA Finals appearance, the Phoenix Suns found themselves in a gritty showdown with Rick Barry and the Golden State Warriors. Barry averaged a solid 27.6 points per game in the series, but it was Phoenix’s balance that carried the day. Six Suns averaged double figures in scoring, a testament to their steady, unselfish offense.

Game 7 was no exception.

On the road, under pressure, the Suns delivered. They secured their first-ever Game 7 victory, a milestone moment for a young franchise still finding its identity. Though they would eventually fall to the Boston Celtics in the Finals, that series win over Golden State marked a turning point, proof that Phoenix could rise when the stakes were highest.

May 17, 1979: SuperSonics 114, Suns 110​

Just three seasons removed from their first NBA Finals appearance, the Phoenix Suns remained a consistent postseason presence, and their ambitions hadn’t dimmed. With sights set on another run to the Finals, they faced a gritty Seattle SuperSonics team in a back-and-forth series.

After dropping the first two games on the road, Phoenix stormed back with three straight wins, putting themselves in position to close out the series in Game 6 at home. But the moment slipped away. Seattle stole a nail-biter, and a hobbled Alvin Adams, battling through an ankle injury, was no match for the Sonics’ Jack Sikma in Game 7.

Sikma dominated with 33 points and 10 rebounds, delivering the dagger that ended Phoenix’s season. Seattle would ride that momentum to an NBA championship, dispatching the Washington Bullets in five.

May 14, 1981: Kings 95, Suns 88​

In 1980–81, the Phoenix Suns stood tall atop the Pacific Division with a 57–25 record. Yes, even better than Magic Johnson’s Lakers. Confidence was high, the core was seasoned, and expectations were justified. But the playoffs are a different beast, and the Kansas City Kings, the fifth seed, proved to be far more than a speed bump.

Led by the quietly relentless Reggie King, who averaged 22.1 points and 8.6 rebounds in the series, Kansas City refused to fold. They hung with Phoenix every step of the way, dragging the series to a decisive Game 7.

And then, in the most pivotal 12 minutes of the season, the Suns disappeared. A flat third quarter in front of their own fans produced just 12 points. The air left the building, and the Kings capitalized, stealing the series and sending the Suns home stunned.

Phoenix had outpaced the Lakers all year. But in the end, it was the Kings who turned the Suns’ best regular season in years into an abrupt postseason disappointment.

Set Number: X25481

June 5, 1993: Suns 123, SuperSonics 110​

During the Suns’ unforgettable 1993 postseason run, everything teetered on the edge. This was a team of destiny, but destiny doesn’t come easy.

In the first round, back when the series was best-of-five, Phoenix fell behind 0–2 to the Los Angeles Lakers. The top seed, down and seemingly out. But the Suns responded with grit and fire, winning three straight elimination games to survive and advance.

/ / : "We're going to win the series."

Down 0-2 against the Lakers, Head Coach Paul Westphal guaranteed the Suns would win the next 3 games and take the series. The rest is history.@SweetJames | Sweet Plays Since ‘68 pic.twitter.com/sTrzt3dT2y

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 23, 2022​

They handled the Spurs in six, but the real war came in the Western Conference Finals against the Seattle SuperSonics. Seven games of haymakers and adjustments. Seven games of tension.

In Game 7, it was Charles Barkley — MVP, warrior, force of nature — who refused to let the season die. He dropped 44 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in a performance that still echoes in the desert. The Suns punched their ticket to the NBA Finals for just the second time in franchise history.

Every run has a defining moment. For Phoenix in ’93, it was Game 7, and Barkley made sure it would never be forgotten.

May 21, 1994: Rockets 104, Suns 94​

Chapter 1 of Heartbreak to Houston.

The 1993–94 Phoenix Suns were locked in. Fresh off an NBA Finals appearance and boasting a 56–26 record, the dream was alive, maybe even expected. A return to the Finals felt not just possible, but probable.

Then came Houston.

Led by Hakeem Olajuwon, the Rockets were rising, and the two teams collided in a brutal second-round series. Phoenix came out swinging, stealing the first two games on the road in Houston. Momentum was theirs. Destiny felt like it was right back on track.

But then? The series flipped. Houston answered by taking both games in Phoenix. Just like that, homecourt was restored. From there, the two heavyweights held serve, each defending their floor with pride, force, and desperation.

Game 7. Houston. The Summit.

Hakeem Olajuwon was the difference. Graceful, dominant, unstoppable. He dropped 37 points, pulled down 17 rebounds, and buried the Suns’ Finals hopes with a cold efficiency that only legends possess.

Phoenix went home. Heartbroken. Again.

May 20, 1995: Rockets 115, Suns 114​

Heartbreak, Part Two. And this one cut even deeper.

The 1994–95 Phoenix Suns were battle-tested, hungry, and loaded. A 59–23 record. No Michael Jordan to slay the field. The window was wide open, the path was there. A title felt not just possible. It felt overdue.

Then came Houston. Again.

The Rockets limped into the playoffs as the 6-seed, a team bruised and battered by a season of injuries. No longer the top dog. Just prey. Or so we thought.

Phoenix took a 3–1 lead in the series. One win away. One push from the Western Conference Finals. But then...the collapse.

Game 7. Again.

Kevin Johnson went nuclear. 46 points. Left everything he had on the floor. But it wasn’t enough. Not against Hakeem. Not against the ghosts from the year before. Not this time.

364 days after Houston shattered their dreams in Game 7, they did it again. Same villain. Same pain. Just a little sharper this time.

No YouTube links here. No highlights. Some heartbreaks are still too raw to rewatch.

May 6, 2006: Suns 121, Lakers 90​

The run in 2006 was nothing short of magical. A season defined by resilience, heart, and a whole lot of buckets.

The journey began with a slugfest against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. A classic 2-vs-7 matchup that turned into an all-out war. Kobe Bryant averaged 27.9 points per game in the series, hitting daggers, talking trash, dragging the Lakers to a 3–1 series lead. The Suns? On the brink.

But then, the momentum shifted.

Phoenix stormed back behind the relentless engine of Steve Nash, a reawakened bench mob, and a belief that no lead was safe against them. And when it came to Game 7? That’s when things got weird.

Kobe, the assassin, went quiet. Just three points in the second half. Passive. Detached. It was baffling.

The Suns, on the other hand, smelled blood. They steamrolled the Lakers, flipping what once looked like a collapse into a comeback for the ages. It was the first of two Game 7s that postseason and the start of something unforgettable.

May 22, 2006: Suns 127, Clippers 107​

The next round brought another battle with L.A.—but this time, it was the Clippers.

No Amare Stoudemire. No problem. Shawn Marion stepped up and became the steady hand and soaring engine the Suns needed, just as he did all season with STAT out. He averaged 25.6 points and 12.6 rebounds in the series, doing a little bit of everything in true Matrix fashion.

But ask Suns fans what they remember most from that series, and many will point to Raja Bell. Game 5. Down three. Big moment. Daniel Ewing. Bang. Bell knocked down one of the biggest shots of the postseason, a moment etched into Phoenix playoff lore.

By the time Game 7 rolled around, the Suns were rolling. They dispatched the Clippers with ease and earned a spot in the Western Conference Finals.

But after going the distance in back-to-back rounds, Phoenix ran out of steam. Dallas, led by Dirk Nowitzki in his prime, took the series in six. The Suns’ magical run ended in the conference finals, but the legend of that 2006 team still burns bright.

May 15, 2022: Mavericks 123, Suns 90​

And speaking of the Dallas Mavericks, the last time the Suns played in a Game 7 was, without question, the most embarrassing of them all.

Fresh off a franchise-record 64-win season, Phoenix entered the 2022 playoffs with championship aspirations. But Luka Doncic had other plans. What unfolded in that decisive Game 7 on the Suns’ home floor wasn’t just a loss. It was a public unraveling.

From the opening tip, Dallas applied pressure. The Suns crumbled. Doncic toyed with them, smiling as he scored at will. The final score barely captures the humiliation. The top seed didn’t just fall. They collapsed.

That game didn’t just end a season. It ended an era. The front office felt it, the fans felt it, and the players felt it. Less than a year later, the Suns went all-in on a seismic midseason trade for Kevin Durant, an effort to recalibrate and redeem.

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Ah yes, memory lane. A bumpy ride filled with nerves, legends, and more heartbreak than triumph. Ten Game 7s. A 4–6 record. Not exactly a highlight reel, but those games are stitched into the Suns’ fabric all the same.

They’re reminders. Of how brutal, how delicate, how razor-thin the margin for error becomes in a win-or-go-home setting. You can have the talent. You can have the chemistry. But Game 7 has a way of unraveling it all. The lights get brighter. The pressure swells. Every possession feels like a test of will.

True champions don’t just survive that. They rise in it. They find the extra gear, the mental edge, the poise to push through. And tonight, we’ll witness that moment once again. One team will break through. One team will be remembered.

Game 7. This is what it’s all about.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...es-wins-heartbreak-highlights-playoff-moments

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Bright Side Reacts: Grading the Kevin Durant trade and what it says about Phoenix’s vision

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

What does the Bright Side crew think of the deal?

We’ve all had a few days to let it sink in. The deal is official. After months of speculation and a carousel of false starts, Kevin Durant has been traded to the Houston Rockets. The return? Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and the 10th overall pick. Oh, and five second-round picks. It’s done.

BREAKING: The Phoenix Suns are trading two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EwrbA2ES9O

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 22, 2025​

But what does it all mean?

What does this trade signal for the future of the Phoenix Suns? And how does our writing team evaluate the move, not just in terms of value, but vision?

That’s what we’re unpacking in this edition of Bright Side Reacts.

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John Voita​

Grade: B-​

It’s always hard to judge these things in the moment. When you follow the team as closely as we do, there’s emotion involved. Fatigue. The exhaustion of waiting for the inevitable and just wanting it to be over.

Let’s start with the obvious: Kevin Durant is one of the greatest players in NBA history. But he turns 37 in December and is set to earn a $120+ million contract extension. For a team already financially hamstrung, and with the rest of the league well aware of that, the return was always going to feel underwhelming.

So what did the Suns get back? Another shooting guard and Dillon Brooks. Yeah, that’s underwhelming. We all knew, mathematically, that Jalen Green was likely going to be in the deal. That doesn’t make it any easier to absorb. But Green is just 23 years old, still full of upside, with elite athleticism and the ability to score in bunches. He’s essentially a younger, healthier version of Bradley Beal.

As for Dillon Brooks? I’ve said it before. He’s got one of the most punchable faces in the NBA. But he’s also a “fuck shit up” guy in the best possible way. He’s chaos. Controlled chaos. And now, that chaos is wearing purple and orange. I actually love his contract. It declines over the next two years, going from $21.1 million to $20 million. That’s valuable financial flexibility.

It certainly would have been nice to get Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, or Tair Eason in the deal. And by not getting any one of those young talents, this transaction will be harshly judged, as well it should be.

The real surprise was the draft capital. I thought Phoenix would end up with two players and maybe two picks. Instead, they walk away with two solid players and six total draft picks. That’s why I’m giving this trade a B-. They worked the margins well. No, they didn’t get back their 2027 or 2029 firsts, but they picked up enough ammunition to potentially move off other deals if needed.

The worst part of last season was that the Suns were losing and they had no future. Now? There’s a future. It’s not fully defined yet, and more moves are coming, but the room feels a little less dark today.

Brandon Duenas​

Grade: C-​

The Suns’ return was nothing to write home about. Look, you got two starters from a very good Rockets team a year ago. That said, Brooks is who he is, and Green is a problematic fit next to Devin Booker. I’m not sure what the vision is overall, but it looks like the Suns settled for an OK offer just to get it done and over with. Not getting at least one of Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, Tari Eason, Cam Whitmore, OR another 1st round pick back is inexcusable. What they do with the 10th pick will make-or-break this deal. There has to be more to come, which is the only reason I have not given this a D+ or worse.

Holden Sherman​

Grade: B-​

The implications of the Rockets landing the Suns' picks? Houston wants to trade for Kevin Durant and that becomes far easier if they can return the Suns' picks that they gave up in the Durant deal to the Nets. Suns have said they're keeping Durant for now, but that could change…

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2024​

Yeah..That’s what Woj tweeted shortly after the Rockets traded for the Suns picks from the Brooklyn Nets right before the draft last year. Looking at the landscape of the trade market and seeing how this was trending, this package is about on par with what was being reported. Getting a lottery pick in a loaded draft like this one gives the team a chance at a get out of jail free card if they draft the right player, but if the Suns didn’t openly flaunt the idea that they were trading Durant, maybe they could’ve gotten more from the Rockets who made it clear that they wanted him, even a year ago.

Jake aka FallenFounder​

Grade: A​

So excited to see this failed experiment is over. While not necessarily Durant's fault, the Suns have slid backward every year he has been here. He is called one of the best playoff players ever. That is only good if you make the playoffs.

Durant is an all-time great, but he is so chill he makes Iceman look for a blanket. This team needed hustle. It needs players who fight for their place, not someone who has accepted their greatness.

Brooks has always had a chip on his shoulder. Green certainly should know if he didn't already. The #10 pick and a bucket of 2nd-rounders complete the deal for me.

Suns got hard workers and trade capital. We weren't going anywhere with Durant. Now I'm excited to see where the future will go.

Bruce Veliz​

Grade: B​

The Suns get some good value back in performing a trade that needed to be done. Should they have gotten one of Jabari, Tari, or Reed? Yes, but that should not completely rule out this move. The Suns got Dillion Brooks, a solid defender, a top-ten pick they could use to draft the center everyone wants them to get, and Jalen Green. PLUS 5 Second round picks. This deal that went down also cannot be completed until July 6th because of this trade; the poison pill restriction was activated. This allows the Suns to get other teams involved and make this trade even better for them, if they do choose to.

What is a Poison Pill Restriction?

A player that signs a rookie extension. For trade purposes, his current salary is used as outgoing salary.
The average of the fourth year of his current contract and new extension count as incoming salary for the acquiring team.

Example: For…

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 22, 2025​

Ashton​

Grade: C-​

So, seriously Suns fans, what did you really get back in return? Another shooting guard and a small forward in this trade? Expectations of another trade on the horizon? Perhaps Beal is waived and stretched, and perhaps he is not. That is a log jam at SG with no real answers in the frontcourt. I hope there is a Plan B because the frontcourt depth is looking pretty thin. If the Suns do small ball team lineups again, there will be riots on Van Buren

Now, the tenth pick is interesting, and that is more in my wheelhouse. But I also agree with most pundits that this draft evens out across the board. I spoke about the top three picks to avoid, while calling out Houston as the preferred trading partner.

Outside of Ace Bailey (he is falling rapidly on some mock boards), I actually need to whistle another tune stating that I did not like Khaman Muluch and Carter Bryant as potential number ten picks. Would you take Ace Bailey at 10? Tough question. But you would. No-brainer. Ace is a shooting guard, in case you did not know.

Final thought, a bunch of second-rounders are not as enticing as they once were. Every draft analysis will need to take into consideration that these players are seniors who ran out of NIL options. Watch the college game and determine for yourself whom you would pick in the second round.

Kevin Humpherys​

Grade: C+​

The Suns got back two quality-level starters in Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks. Despite being below 6-foot-6, these two guys bring defensive ability and athleticism, something the Suns have sorely lacked for the last two seasons. Half of the Suns' roster is now shooting guards, which I expect to change in the next few weeks with Royce O’Neal, Grayson Allen, and of course Bradley Beal all being expendable. The Suns could even try and find a landing spot for Green if a suitor presents itself.

Arizona Sports’ John Gambodoro has reported the Suns want to keep Green, but we will see if that is true or if they are trying to build up Green’s trade value. It was disappointing to not get back Jabari Smith Jr. or another big wing back from Houston but getting the 10th pick in the draft was more important to this front office than playing possum to try and get one of Houston’s forwards after the draft. This trade was not a home run by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a leadoff double and a bunt to advance the runner to third base. Now the Suns have to get the runner home on Wednesday in the NBA Draft.

Archie Frazer​

Grade: B-​

It’s not a terrible return, but it’s too soon to judge, given we don’t know what’s happening with Jalen Green. If he, Booker, and Beal are all on the roster come the start of the season, then my grade would drop significantly. If the return in a Green trade is poor, then my grade is dropping again. Best case scenario, we get Beal off the book,s and then I can sort of see the vision. If you can turn Green, Grayson Allen, and Royce O’Neale into a starting PG, PF, and C, then that probably pushes it up to a B+ (maybe even an A- given the circumstances). I would’ve liked a Kel’el Ware or a Jabari Smith Jr,. but beggars can’t be choosers.

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What grade do you give the Suns for this transaction? And why?

Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...-green-dillon-brooks-nba-draft-picks-analysis

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Is trading back the best move for the Suns in the NBA Draft?

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Trading back from No. 10 gives Phoenix a better chance to fill multiple holes on the roster

The Kevin Durant trade is now official(ish), and the Phoenix Suns have regained their lottery pick at No. 10, for now.

The Suns, in recent years, have made multiple draft day trades to varying success. Phoenix traded the No. 6 pick in 2019 and landed Cam Johnson and Dario Saric. Last season, the Suns traded No. 22 for No. 28 and No. 40 and gained two rotation-caliber players in Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro. This year, three teams have multiple first-round picks behind Phoenix at No. 10: Oklahoma City, Atlanta, and Brooklyn.

Brian Gregory and the Suns only have a couple of days to do their due diligence and explore every possible scenario, including trading the No. 10 pick for multiple first-round picks.

Why trade back?​

Trading back from No. 10 gives Phoenix a better chance to fill the multiple holes on the roster. The Suns need at least a center, a point guard, and a big, versatile wing to be competitive again in the Western Conference. If the Suns can split the No. 10 pick into two or three picks and hold onto No. 29, it would give them a chance at filling every hole on the roster. If the Suns could come out of the draft with a combination of a young high-potential point guard, a defensive anchor at center and a lengthy wing that gives Phoenix size, it would be a successful draft. Trading out of No. 10 gives the Suns a chance to fill three needs instead of two.

Trade to Oklahoma City​

After winning an NBA Championship, the Oklahoma City Thunder are poised to be title contenders for a decade. The only “problem” the Thunder have is that they have too many good players and not enough roster spots. Oklahoma City still has 13 first-round draft picks that will convey over the next 5-7 years. For the Thunder, quality is greater than quantity, so packaging the No. 15 and No. 24 picks to climb up to No. 10 makes sense because they would get a chance at a better prospect without having to lose or trade anyone already on the roster.

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

For Phoenix, it is not the best option out there, but it appears to be the most likely because Oklahoma City has no roster spots left. Would the Thunder want anything else on the Suns roster? Probably not, unless they want to add Grayson Allen’s shooting to the roster, but I would not expect the Thunder to value anything the Suns have other than the No. 10 pick. The downside for the Suns is that they could potentially miss out on drafting a high-ceiling prospect at No. 15, but the addition of another first-round pick might be worth the risk in my opinion. The Suns need to acquire as many young players as possible for the franchise, and the player they want at No. 10 could still be available at No. 15.

Trade to Atlanta​

The Atlanta Hawks are another potential team for the Suns to trade back with on Wednesday night, and the most ideal one. The Hawks have the No. 13 and No. 22 picks and could easily trade up to No. 10 if someone they liked were to fall during the draft. If the Suns could acquire both picks for just No. 10, it would be a steal. However, first-round picks are valuable even at the latter end of the draft, and giving up No. 13 and No. 22 would be a lot to move up three spots. So what stops this potential trade from happening is if Atlanta wants both Phoenix picks (No. 10 and No. 29) for Atlanta’s two first-round round picks (No. 13 and No. 22). The Suns could potentially miss out on a high ceiling player at No. 10 and only move up five spots at the back end of the first round. So, unless Phoenix can turn its two first-round picks into three, there is no point in accepting this deal.

Trade to Brooklyn​

The Brooklyn Nets have four first-round picks this year, with three of those picks after the Suns at No. 10. The Nets are picking at No. 8, No. 19, No. 26, and No. 27 and are the wild card Wednesday night with all their picks and players available. A straight-up draft swap of the 10th pick for picks 19, 26, and 27 seems unlikely because it would have the Suns falling too far from No. 10 unless they love all the prospects at the end of the first round. However, in trades with Nic Claxton, Cam Johnson, or other players on the Nets roster, the Suns can easily be a third team in those deals to get extra picks and get off Royce O’Neal or Grayson Allen’s contracts.

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

The other thing to watch with Brooklyn is that I expect they will be aggressive looking to trade up as well. If Brooklyn could turn No. 19 and No. 26 into a pick close to No. 10, then it would give Phoenix the same trade package it could get from Oklahoma City and Atlanta. Another trade package that, on paper, would be worth trading back for.

Trading up​

Phoenix is just as likely to attempt to trade up in the draft instead of trading down, but trading up will be more difficult. The Suns have many holes on their roster and need an influx of young, promising, and inexpensive talent in multiple positions to have a chance at competing with Devin Booker in his prime. If the Suns do trade up, they are putting all of their eggs into one basket, that whoever they draft will be the perfect second option next to Booker for the rest of his career.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...trade-options-at-pick-10-okc-atlanta-brooklyn

 

[Phoenix Suns]

A 1-on-1 with newest Sun Khaman Maluach

Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images

What’s on his mind moments after being drafted?

BROOKLYN, NY — Right after Khaman Maluach was drafted to the Phoenix Suns, Bright Side got to do a 1 on 1 with the team’s newest member where he shared what’s on his mind moments after hearing his name announced.

(The following answers have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.)

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What are you feeling right now?​

Khaman Maluach: I’m just feeling blessed. I’m just feeling so happy, excited, man, to go to the city, and excited to represent this team and have that jersey come and be on the floor as a Phoenix sun.

Anyone you want to thank right now?​

KM: I mean, first of all, this is all thanks to God, because without God, I wouldn’t be here. And I want to thank my family, my mother, my father, for raising me to be the man I am today and showing me the values of life at a young age. And it’s not a it’s not one, one person effort. I think it’s a collective effort, and whoever is out there has ever believed in me, all the guys that helped me and pushed me to the top corners. Thank you.

Have you spoke to the Suns yet?​

KM: I haven’t spoken to anybody yet.

Have you watched a lot of Devin Booker? What do you know about his game?​

KM: I watched a lot of DEVIN BOOKER. One of my teammates best friend is Devin Booker, so whenever Suns games were on, we watched it, I played him at the Olympics too.

What teammate was that?​

KM: Caleb Foster

Do you have a relationship with Grayson Allen or Mark Williams? (Both went to Duke)​

KM: Yeah, I have a relationship with Mark Williams. I mean, we were all part of the Brotherhood, and we were talking through my through my college recruitment process, and I would go to him and ask him, what’s, what’s the best thing about Duke, and how did they help you and all that stuff.

You said you were delusional for thinking you could make the NBA, how are you going to keep that mindset in a league full of confident players?​

KM: I just got to have my own confidence. I just got to go build around me and have a great circle around me and keep on learning each and every day, and still have other delusional dreams of believing in myself and just getting better each and every day.

Not only is your platform getting larger, but your story and what you’ve gone through is going to be more well known throughout throughout the world. What do you want to do with your larger platform now? How do you want to create change? In whatever way you want to create change.​

KM: I want to use my platform for to impact other people’s lives, to change other kids lives, and and give them a vision to open their eyes that no matter what, or how many odds are against you, you can still make it.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who is scared to start a goal, who feels like the odds are stacked against them? What would you say to them?​

KM: As I say, be delusional about your dreams. Be delusional and believe in yourself before anybody else does, because if you believe in yourself and you start taking the right step, everybody else will see your vision and they’ll start believing in you.

Anything else you’d like to say, or any anyone else you want to talk about?​

KM: Thanks to everybody out there, and thanks to all my fans and Phoenix fan supporters.

Any messages for Suns fans?​

KM: I’m just so excited. I’m excited to play and wear a Phoenix Suns jersey.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...ew-duke-booker-mark-williams-inspiration-2025

 

[Phoenix Suns]

A 1-on-1 with Rasheer Fleming

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

What’s on his mind moments after being drafted?

BROOKLYN, NY — Right after Rasheer Fleming was drafted to the Phoenix Suns, Bright Side got to do a 1 on 1 with the team’s newest member where he shared what’s on his mind moments after hearing his name announced, just like we got to speak to Khaman Maluach after he got drafted yesterday.

Flemming, 20, is a 6’9” forward who played three years in college at St. Joseph’s and averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game on 53.1% shooting and 39% from three.

(The following answers have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.)

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What are you feeling right now?​

Rasheer Fleming: Just a burst of enjoyment and excitement. Honestly, I can’t even speak up to how much (pause), it’s just an overwhelming feeling for real. It’s a great experience for me.

With those feelings, is there anyone that you want to thank or shout out?​

RF: Yeah, my mom, my dad, my mom, has been there with me, the whole way in terms of just the whole journey, like everything, basketball wise, everything. And my dad, that’s where my competitive, comes from. Like, you’re (his dad) the first guy to put basketball in my hands. I wouldn’t have been here without either one of them.

Was there an inflection point in your career when you realized I’m gonna be here, I’m gonna do this? ​

RF: It’s always been my dream and my goal to get here. So at the age of, like five or six, I had it set in my mind I’m going to the NBA. Later on in my career, I feel like things might have not looked that way, maybe in that time, but I think I really started to see it grow and be about maybe, like, sophomore, junior year (of College).

What did you say to yourself during those moments of doubt?​

RF: Nothing. I just kept working. Put my head down and keep working.

What are you gonna do when times get tough in the NBA?​

RF: I mean, those moments, I just go to God like I kind of keep steadfast. I never change in those type of moments, because I always have the Lord to lean on. So there’s nothing going to change from that perspective.

What do you what do you know about Devin Booker’s game and what do you think you can provide to it?​

RF: Elite baller, for sure, in the league he does a little bit of everything. So just as a teammate for me, taking whatever shots he needs me to take, I’ll be open. I’ll be open doing whatever’s needed from me. I feel like I’m a team player for all the guys.

So every single year in college, your role and production improved. How are you able to do that at the next level?​

RF: I think everything’s gonna be the same. I got here for being consistent in what I’ve been doing. So I’m gonna keep on doing the same thing.

The Suns traded a lot of assets to get you. What does that mean to you as you start your career with them?​

RF: It’s a great feeling for me, because it’s kind of that same feeling I had with St Joe’s coming in, coming into college. It’s a team that really sought out for me and think I could contribute just to the team and organization overall, just as a person, as a player, kind of everything. So I really appreciate them taking that chance on me, and I can just go out there and do.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2025/6/26/24456831/a-1-on-1-with-rasheer-fleming

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Draft Reaction: The Phoenix Suns are moving with a purpose

Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

The Phoenix Suns were wheeling and dealing.

Brian Gregory and the Suns’ brass have not been shy, to say the least. Some might even say they are... aligned.

The Phoenix Suns left the 2025 NBA Draft with an improved young core and optimism surrounding the future that did not exist a week ago. After how last season went, that is all you can ask for. Hope.

Khaman Maluach unexpectedly falling to 10 was just the beginning of an impressive draft class.

The Phoenix Suns pulled off a trio of deals on Thursday to reposition themselves nicely for the second round of the draft. They aggressively moved up to the 31st pick to select forward Rasheer Fleming, who many had as the best available player on the board entering day two.

The Suns entered Thursday with the 52nd and 59th picks. They traded two future seconds to the Nets for No. 36, then flipped 52 and 59 to Golden State for No. 41. That was followed by PHX packaging pick 36 and two future seconds to grab the 31st pick. Target acquired.

They leave the draft with a trio of intriguing prospects, all of whom bring different roles and skills to the table. Size? Check. Athleticism? Check. Shooting? Check. Wingspans? CHECK!

The Phoenix Suns' official 2025 NBA Draft Class:

10) Khaman Maluach, C - Duke
31) Rasheer Fleming, F - St. Joseph's
41) Koby Brea, G - Kentucky

— Zona (@AZSportsZone) June 27, 2025​

Rasheer Fleming’s fit makes a ton of sense on paper for a Phoenix team that desperately needs to add forwards with size. His combination of athleticism, shooting, and strength makes him a seamless fit alongside Khaman Maluach, Ryan Dunn, and Devin Booker, projecting forward.

One thought I have for smaller lineups would be his fit alongside Oso Ighodaro. Those two complement each other fairly well. Fleming is athletic, can defend, and knock down threes? AND he has plus size to go with his massive wingspan? Yeah, sign me up.

The Suns didn’t just throw darts at the board this year. They moved with intention and had a clear vision they wanted to accomplish. The length and athleticism added cannot be understated. Look at those wingspans!

The Suns have added Khaman Maluach, Mark Williams, and Rasheer Fleming over the past 24 hours.

Mark Williams - 7'0" - 7’6" wingspan
Khaman Maluach - 7'2" - 7’6 ¾" wingspan
Rasheer Fleming - 6'9" - 7’5 ¼" wingspan

This completely transforms their identity. LIMBS!

— Zona (@AZSportsZone) June 26, 2025​

The Suns followed up the Fleming pick by selecting Koby Brea with the 41st pick.

Brea is a five-year player who spent four seasons at Dayton before transferring to Kentucky. He led the SEC in three-point shooting last season and was widely considered to be one of the best shooters in the draft.

The Phoenix Suns have selected Kentucky's Koby Brea with the No. 41 pick.

The best shooter in college basketball over the past two seasons, Brea hit 47% of his 3s, both on the move and with his feet set, at 6-foot-7. pic.twitter.com/ruNc83pKGk

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 27, 2025​

The trio of prospects all bring a unique set of skills that complement each other well. You have size, length, athleticism, and last but not least... shooting (Brea). For a team that entered the offseason with a bleak future and very little (exciting) draft capital, they hit this one out of the park.

The beauty of the NBA is that offseason grades are not the end-all, be-all. Summer League (which is around the corner) will be the first test (of many) for these young guys.

All that’s left to do is for them to match their impressive draft grades with their play and production on the court. It’s cool to be a draft winner on paper and all, but the realist in me has to see it before getting TOO excited. We are Suns fans, after all.

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Plenty of national media folks questioned the Mark Williams trade, but we have seen several rave about how the draft went.

Look, time will tell if the Williams deal was the right move, but I think that swing is absolutely worth taking regardless of who they drafted at 10.

Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, and Koby Brea. This draft has been a big-time success for the Suns. All three guys have skills that'll allow them to stick in the NBA. Maluach's at-rim impact, Fleming's 3-and-D style, Brea's shooting skill. Really impressive by Phoenix.

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 27, 2025​

All in all, I feel much better about this team entering free agency than I could have ever hoped for. Let’s hope they keep the positive momentum rolling.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...luach-rasheer-fleming-koby-brea-mark-williams

 

[Phoenix Suns]

What about Brad?

Is there a real deal for Bradley Beal? | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

KD is gone. The draft haul is in. But Bradley Beal is still here—and maybe that’s exactly what the Suns need.

While the internet collectively rebooted itself after Kevin Durant was traded for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, five second-round picks, and a hint of cap space breathing room (which we then utilised), another name drifted slowly across the NBA timeline like a tumbleweed on an empty street.

Bradley Emmanuel Beal.

Remember him?

No, seriously. Remember Brad? Third star. Sunshine-state savior. The guy who once averaged 31.3 points per game on a team with zero playoff hopes and one Martian named Rui. He’s still on the roster. He still wears No. 3. He still has a jump shot smoother than a jazz solo on vinyl. And, oh yeah, he has a no-trade clause.

The Quietest $50 Million Man in the League​

To be fair, Bradley Beal has gone through it. Last season was a rollercoaster—or, more aptly, one of those people-movers at the airport: it looked smooth, but no one’s really sure where it was going.

Injuries, inconsistent usage, and a weird stint as the team’s backup point guard had Beal feeling more like a temporary consultant than a co-franchise cornerstone. He averaged just 17.1 points per game — his lowest mark since the Obama administration. But context matters. This wasn’t Washington. This wasn’t his show. This was Beal adapting. Figuring it out. Playing the third fiddle in a band still learning its setlist.

Now That KD’s Gone… What Now?​

The trade of Kevin Durant has triggered a full-scale philosophical reset in Phoenix. ALIGNMENT, ANYONE? The draft doubled down, with Khaman Maluach coming in at #10 to shore up the front line, along with a bevy of rookies who shoot, run, defend, and probably stack chairs at team events like pros.

So once again, we ask:

What About Brad?

Does he stay as Booker’s running mate in a streamlined, retooled Suns squad, slotting in as a natural second option with the offensive freedom he’s been starved of since DC?

Does he come off the bench as the world’s most overqualified sixth man, weaponizing second units the way high school coaches dream of, in a Manu Ginóbili redux with slightly more salary cap pain?

Or is there another team — maybe one with cap space, championship delusions, and a soft spot for smooth midrange jumpers — that could make the trade work, no-trade clause and all? So far, the head office isn’t even entertaining offers. And Brad himself wants to be here...

With a locker room full of youth, that absolutely means something to building culture and creating a team that fits and functions like a family.

Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Bradley Beal [3] putting on the jets, against Fox [4]

Maybe the Beal We Need Is the Beal Who’s Already Here?​

Here’s what we do know:

Beal still shoots nearly 50% from the field.

He’s still one of the best off-ball scorers in the league.

He’s only 31.

And when healthy, he brings polish and poise that teams don’t just find on waivers.

Now, with Kevin Durant’s usage redistributed and rookie energy flooding the depth chart, it begs the question, well... questions:

What does Bradley Beal look like when he’s finally allowed to just be Bradley Beal?

What happens when he’s freed from the burden of makeshift point guard duties and asked only to do what he does best — score with effortless efficiency?

Can you imagine a Suns offense with Beal sliding into clean catch-and-shoot looks off Booker doubles, slashing against scrambling defenses, or running pick-and-rolls without needing to orchestrate every possession?

But zoom out further: what if this roster, finally built with length, hustle, and defensive grit, gave Booker and Beal the support stars deserve?

What happens when you surround them with rangy wings who close out like greyhounds and bigs who switch and smother instead of sinking in cement?

Does a version of Beal exist where he isn’t carrying the weight of a franchise on every dribble, but instead plays with the joy of a man who knows his job is simple: put the ball in the hoop?

And if that version emerges, could he become exactly the second star Phoenix has been searching for all along?

Or maybe the bigger question is this: if you build a balanced, defensive-minded team around Booker and Beal… could that be enough to get back into the thick of NBA basketball?

Fortunately, for us as Phoenix Suns fans, we’ll get to enjoy watching as the answers to these questions unfold in the season ahead.

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Final Word: Don’t Let the Internet Forget​

KD’s gone. Jalen Green is inbound and ready to run the lane into next week. Dillon Brooks is bringing villain vibes and defensive grit. The Suns drafted a 7’2” teenager with a wingspan large enough to eclipse your hopes and dreams, adding said teenager’s ideal mentor in Mark Williams on a draft-day deal. It’s an exciting time in Phoenix.

But through it all… What About Brad?

Let’s not pretend he vanished. Let’s not trade him in the group chat before we even ask what he looks like next to a roster built for length, balance and pace. Let’s at least try to see the version of Beal that isn’t the ghost of Washington past, but a leaner, meaner, better-fitting piece of Phoenix’s future.

Finally, the element that remains is this: Suns brass are not done yet. We can expect further refinements to follow in the weeks ahead.

A QUESTION FOR THE COMMENTS SECTION:

With KD gone and a balanced team being constructed around him, could Bradley Beal be the second star Phoenix has been searching for, to complement Devin Booker all along?​

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...brad-nba-phoenix-suns-basketball-bradley-beal

 

[Phoenix Suns]

3 free agents the Phoenix Suns should target

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

As the Phoenix Suns chase a championship window, free agency becomes a crucial test for reshaping their depth and future.

The Phoenix Suns are officially on the clock.

After another disappointing season, the pressure in the Valley is higher than ever. Phoenix, for the 3rd season in a row Phoenix faces the challenge of reshaping a top-heavy roster with limited cap space and few assets. With the expectations of this season already being anything outside of winning a championship, the pressure isn’t as high as other seasons. The pressure although, has shifted to other aspects such as moving Bradley Beal and trying to get below the second apron.

With all of that being said here are three targets I feel would move the needle for the Suns.

Chris Paul​

With the Phoenix Suns lacking point guard depth, I feel that Chris Paul, for the right price, is needed. If the Suns were to sign Paul, I’m not asking for him to play the same role as in 2021. I don’t want or need Paul to play 30+ minutes a night at the ripe age of forty.

It was already reported that Paul is looking to play for a team close to his home base in Los Angeles, California, and is open to a reunion with Phoenix.

The Clippers and Suns are reportedly considering a reunion with Chris Paul, per @TheSteinLine

“The Los Angeles Clippers, in addition to Phoenix, are another of Paul's former teams that is said to be weighing a second engagement with the 12-time NBA All-Star, who turned 40 in… pic.twitter.com/CDk91QTEN8

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 29, 2025​

If Paul was truly considering a return to Phoenix, I welcome him with open arms.

I would prefer Paul to play a similar role to the one he played this past season in San Antonio. With the Spurs last season, Paul averaged 8.8 points, 7.4 assists while shooting 42.7% from the field and 37.7% from three. Paul is very much still productive at his age and actually played in all eighty-two games last season. With a team similar to the ones he played on in Phoenix, I feel his fit would still fit like a glove.

One thing I think the Suns suffered from the most when losing Paul was his voice and impact in the locker room. Even though the Suns already have a head coach in Jordan Ott, Paul is pretty much like an assistant coach, but he plays in the games. With a roster like Phoenix, you need a veteran presence like Paul within the locker room.

Russell Westbrook​

Once again, the Suns desperately need a point guard on this roster and Westbrook is a guy I’ve wanted on this team for years now.

I feel that even if you go and get Chris Paul in free agency, you can go and get Russell Westbrook as well to add more depth at the point guard position. Westbrook is one of those guys that you hate to play against but love if he’s on your team. Westbrook plays with a hustle and fast-paced tempo that the Suns need.

Westbrook is aggressive, going for rebounds and loose balls, and still aggressively attacks the rim like his golden days.

Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images

This past season with Denver saw Westbrook in seventy-five games with Denver averaging 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 1.4 steals.

My only concern is Westbrook’s shooting when it comes to his game, but everything else he does on the court makes up for that aspect of his game. If we can have a guy like Westbrook attack the basket and also have a guy like Chris Paul work the mid-range, it opens up some interesting offensive opportunities for the Suns.

It was reported on my podcast episode of Quick Connects with Suns insider Flex From Jersey that Westbrook has been trying to come to Phoenix for the past three seasons now.

With the lack of point guards on this roster, this would be a prime opportunity for Westbrook to stake his claim with the Phoenix Suns. It is easy for the Suns to get players to come play for them solely based on one thing, that thing is Devin Booker. Having a guy with zero ego as your superstar makes it super easy to acquire guys when given the chance. Westbrook is one of the many players around the league that has taken note of that and have seen personally how special Booker is on the big stage.

Dalano Banton​

If the Suns are still looking to go younger, I wouldn’t mind taking a buy-low, sell-high situation with Banton.

Banton is a 6’8 forward from the Portland Trail Blazers. Banton has a lot of good physical attributes as he stands at 6’8 with a 6’10 wingspan. Just based on his size, Banton adds a lot of versatility to the position he can play. Banton is highly praised for his playmaking on the court. Banton has an advantage of seeing over defenses and threading passes in pick and roll situations, weakside kickouts, and transition.

Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images

This past season, Banton in sixty-seven games averaged 8.3 points, 2.4 assists, and 2 rebounds.

Banton is a very streaky scorer when it comes to efficiency, but when he has it going, he can be a threat. On the defensive end, he isn’t really physical, but he can beat you with his quick feet. He is a very switchable defender due to his length and quickness on the court. He definitely has some areas to work on surrounding handling the ball and his three-point shooting, but if he’s available and open to coming to Phoenix I am all for it.

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These are three guys I feel can have an impact on the Suns going into this season, and if they are available, I am 100% open to making these guys a part of the Phoenix Suns.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...ts-chris-paul-russell-westbrook-dalano-banton

 

[Phoenix Suns]

2025 Suns Free Agency LIVE Tracker

Photo by Ashlee Espinal/NBAE via Getty Images

Bookmark it. Refresh often. The next phase of the Suns’ rebuild begins now.

We’re still catching our breath from the whirlwind that was the 2025 NBA Draft. In the wake of the Kevin Durant trade, the Phoenix Suns are in the midst of reimagining their identity, reshaping their roster, and redefining their future.

New general manager Brian Gregory made that vision clear on draft night, wheeling and dealing with purpose. He laid a foundation. But as he noted in his introductory press conference, the blueprint for building a team doesn’t stop at the draft. It continues through free agency and the trade market.

Now that the picks have been made and the future has taken shape on paper, it’s time to turn the page, from potential to pursuit. Free agency is upon us.

As we do every year, this will be a living, breathing thread, constantly updated with news, signings, trades, and developments as they happen. While we’ll continue providing in-depth breakdowns on each Suns acquisition, this thread is your first-stop shop for every update as it drops.

Bookmark it. Refresh often. The next phase of the Suns’ rebuild begins now.

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Monday, 3:20pm: I miss tampering​

20 minutes gone. A couple of resignings with Memphis. Nothing yet for Phoenix. I miss the good ‘ole days.

Monday, 10:06am: Cody Martin will be a free agent​

The Suns have decided not to retain Cody Martin, declining his $8.7 million team option for next season. The move provides the team with some financial relief, though they still remain under the weight of the second apron’s restrictions.

The Phoenix Suns will not be retaining Cody Martin. His contract was non-guaranteed until today. He will be a free agent.

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) June 30, 2025​

Monday, 9:29am: Welcome back, Collin Gillespie​

Collin Gillespie cut his teeth on a two-way contract last season. After receiving a qualifying offer from the Suns, he’s now agreed to return on a guaranteed one-year deal. Given Phoenix’s limited financial flexibility, it’s safe to assume this is a veteran minimum contract.

Guard Collin Gillespie intends to sign a guaranteed one-year contract to return to the Phoenix Suns, sources tell ESPN. Suns officials and agents James Dunleavy and Jordan Gertler of Excel Sports worked toward the deal that rewards Gillespie after a strong season on a two-way. pic.twitter.com/vdDs0S0Pay

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025​

As things stand, assuming all rookies are signed to guaranteed deals, the Suns’ roster sits at 14 players with one spot to fill. Cody Martin’s contract hasn’t been guaranteed as of yet, and the Suns have until today to do so.

Monday, 8:34am: Nick Richards garnering interest​

Nick Richards has now become duplicative, although not completely redundant, for the Phoenix Suns. They traded for oft-injured center Mark Williams. They drafted Khaman Maluach. So it seems that Richards is the odd man out. But at $5 million a year, he’s on a good deal.

Per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, teams are asking about him, however.

Richards has drawn trade interest from several teams, including the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, and Los Angeles Lakers, league sources told HoopsHype.

We’ll see what the Suns do...

Sunday, 12:05pm: A Chris Paul reunion isn’t out of the question​

I’m pushing a cart through Fry’s, and my phone starts vibrating like it’s trying to crawl out of my pocket. I fish it out between the canned beans and the cold cuts, and there it is: a whisper wrapped in a tweet wrapped in a league source.

The Phoenix Suns, apparently, are flirting with a second engagement. With none other than Christopher Emmanuel Paul.

A possible CP3/PHC reunion. Per the Stein Line (https://t.co/YTmewLUGRr), it could happen.

“The Los Angeles Clippers, in addition to Phoenix, are another of Paul's former teams that is said to be weighing a second engagement with the 12-time NBA All-Star, who turned 40 in May.… pic.twitter.com/jNDS1TasR0

— Bright Side of the Sun (@BrightSideSun) June 29, 2025​

Yes, that Chris Paul. He’s no longer the Point God, but maybe the Point Sage, still capable of bending a game to his will for a stretch if the cosmos align.

And honestly? I’d love it. You’d love it. Because in a backcourt drowning in uncertainty and deferred responsibilities, CP3 is still the guy who brings order to chaos. A conductor in a symphony of isolation dribblers.

Of course, if he does return to Phoenix, we’ll have a front-row seat to the greatest cage match since Thunderdome: Chris Paul vs. Bradley Beal. One ball. Two high-paid veterans. Who walks away the alpha? Who makes the sacrifice play? Who blinks first? Who wears number 3?

Sunday, 11:08am: Suns are guaranteeing Nick Richards​

Ricards is set to make $5 million next season, though his contract remains non-guaranteed. Phoenix had until today to decide whether to lock in that money or let it go. Their decision? It appears they’re keeping him...for now.

Whether he stays in the Valley long term is another story. His contract could be a useful piece in a trade, giving the Suns flexibility if something materializes. But if no deal comes, Richards is a cost-effective backup big, one who bolsters their frontcourt depth without breaking the bank.

As expected, the Suns are holding onto Nick Richards, league sources tell The Athletic. Richards’ $5 million salary is expected to guarantee today for the 2025-26 season.

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) June 29, 2025​

Sunday, 7:28am: Collin Gillespie gets a qualifying offer​

Rumor has it Collin Gillespie will play a significant role in the Suns’ point guard plans next season. Just how significant remains to be seen; it’ll depend on how Phoenix navigates free agency. Still, extending him a two-way qualifying offer was expected.

Now we wait to see if he accepts it or tests the market.

This could be a moment for opposing teams to pounce, driving up his price not necessarily because they want him, but to pressure the Suns’ cap sheet. It could force Phoenix into a tough call: how much do they actually value Gillespie, and at what cost does that value tip out of balance?

The Phoenix Suns have picked up their $8.1M team 2025-26 team option for Vasilije Micic. This was necessary to complete the Mark Williams trade.

The Suns also tendered a two-way qualifying offer to Collin Gillespie. Gillespie will now be a restricted free agent on July 1.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 29, 2025​

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...racker-trade-brian-gregory-roster-updates-cp3

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Grading the Suns’ signing of Nigel Hayes-Davis

Phoenix’s newest forward might be the Euroleague’s best-kept secret.

On the opening night of free agency, the Phoenix Suns signed Nigel Hayes-Davis. Hayes-Davis is a 30-year-old, 6’8”, 227 lb. SF/PF who has played in the Euroleague since 2018. He fits with the current Suns’ penchant for rangy players, with a 7’3.25” wingspan and 8’5.5” vertical reach.

After four years at Wisconsin, he went undrafted in 2017 and played 9 unremarkable NBA games during the 2017-18 season with three teams.

He went to the Euroleague after that. Since then, he has become perhaps the best player there. He has been named to the all-Euroleague first team the past two years, led Fenerbahçe to two straight titles in 2024 and 2025, and was named finals MVP this year. He also became the first Euroleague player to score 50 points in a game.

This past season in the Euroleague, he averaged 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 steals. He’s an efficient scorer, shooting 49.3% from two-point range, 42.3% from three, and 89.2% from the line.

Reviewing the footage of his games, several things stand out.

He’s offensively skilled and has a lot of ways he can score or create for others. He has some go-to post moves, including the drop step and the turnaround. He’s more than competent at the dribble drive if he gets some room on the perimeter. He’s crafty with the Eurostep, and finishes very well through contact, creating frequent “and-1s”. His body control in the air is remarkable, and he has a knack for hitting ridiculous shots while in the middle of falling down.

He’s also a capable (and willing) passer, particularly out of the post. Watching the film, I’ve seen him have an almost sixth sense for when the double team is coming and timing his passes out of it perfectly. His highlight reel includes a lot of behind-the-back passes and a few no-looks. He has very good court awareness both on offense and defense, and his handles are well above average for a SF/PF

His three-point shooting is perhaps his best feature. Hayes-Davis’ shot chart shows him to be above average everywhere except the right corner. His range is fantastic: many of his threes come from 35+ feet away. He’s adept at creating space for himself with pump fakes, dribbles, and curling off of screens. His form is great: with a quick, high release. He’s also good at hitting threes despite contact, creating 4-point play opportunities.

Nigel Hayes-Davis made 41% of his spot up and off screen three-pointers, shot 51% in the post, and scored steadily both rolling and popping as a screener this season. pic.twitter.com/rmbIdECL4r

— Synergy Basketball (@SynergySST) July 1, 2025​

Defensively, he’s got a very solid reputation.

His wingspan and basketball IQ generate steals, deflections, and disruptions. He plays great team defense and has the mobility to track players on the perimeter, and the standing reach to be something of a nuisance in the post. His individual defense is good, but not God-tier. However, his team defense, ability to switch, and defend multiple positions in the front court make him better than the sum of his parts.

The Suns have talked about wanting to build a culture, and Hayes-Davis has it in spades. Frank Kaminsky played with him at Wisconsin, and described him as, “Hardest worker you’ll find out there. He’s been one of the best players in Europe the past 2 years. Deserves the opportunity.”

Nigel sacrifices the body, flies around the court, hustles for every loose ball, and never quits on plays. He’s also considered a team leader, both on and off the court, and is regarded as a high-character player.

When you watch his game in Europe vs. College, you can tell he’s put in the work to make his game better in so many ways. His moves look very polished, and his body is a sculpted 227 lb., vs. the 254 lb. he was at the 2017 combine. I have every expectation that he will prove to be just as coachable for Jordan Ott.

Speaking of his body and his game, I find it hard to make a good NBA comparison. His body type and his defense remind me a bit of Jarred Vanderbilt. But Vanderbilt has a crazy vertical leap, and Hayes-Davis most certainly does not (more on this in a bit). At the same time, there’s some things about his game that remind me of Steve Nash. Like Nash, Hayes-Davis has no vertical, but he’s got this slithery elusiveness that makes him difficult to guard. Also like Nash, his balance while in the air is ridiculous, and his court awareness borders on the supernatural at times. He has a knack for hitting clutch shots, too.

Still, there are reasons why he’s been playing in Europe and not the US.

First among them is his performance at the 2017 draft combine. He had one of the highest body fat measurements (11%). He had the second-worst standing vertical, second-worst lane agility, and worst max vertical of 28.5 inches. There were questions about who he could actually guard.

However, looking at his current tapes, and having lost 27 lb., his movement appears quicker and more fluid. While his vertical will never be mistaken for Shawn Marion's, his commitment to sculpting himself appears to have made him more capable at both ends of the court.

There are other holes in his game. He’s a below-average rebounder, and at times he’ll try to make a spectacular pass rather than the easy one, resulting in an assist-to-turnover ratio that’s barely above 1:1. He gambles on defense and was foul-prone in college. He’s not a shot blocker because of his below-average vertical and would prefer to steal the ball rather than block it.

While losing weight made him more agile, he will likely get pushed around by bruisers like Julius Randle, and the fastest SFs may blow by him. He’s also very streaky: he can spend one half clanking shot after shot, and then a light switch will go on and he can’t miss.

Some comparisons have been made to Guerschon Yabusele, who came back from the Euroleague at the age of 28 and played his first NBA season since 2018-19 this year. Yabusele averaged 11 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 27.1 minutes per night for the 76’ers on 50.1/38.0/72.5 splits. While in Europe, Hayes-Davis and Yabusele put up similar numbers as power forwards, and have some overlap in their skill sets. Yabusele was more efficient, Hayes-Davis scored at a higher rate while generally taking more difficult shots. Where Yabusele struggled was on defense, where his Expected Box Plus Minus ranked in the 17th percentile.

I believe Hayes-Davis will do even better than Yabusele in the NBA, though. Yabusele is a heavy 265 lb., and his draft combine numbers were worse than Hayes-Davis. Nigel, however, lost a lot of weight and appears significantly faster, more agile, flexible, fluid, and refined than Yabusele did in Europe. While Guerschon seemed to rely on his size, weight, and strength to power through people in Europe, Hayes-Davis’ finishes sort of remind me of Nash’s crafty below-the-rim flourishes. That fluidity, in combination with his length and basketball IQ, makes me believe that Hayes-Davis will be a better defensive player than Yabusele.

So, how will Davis fit in with the Suns? Given that there are only two true power forwards on the team (Nigel and Rasheer), and that Nigel is a much more finished product, he has an excellent chance of being the starter and proving to be an above-average one at that, if Yabusele is any indication. (The alternatives are Dillon Brooks and Ryan Dunn.) Given that the Suns lured him away from Europe, he’s “aligned” everything the team is looking for, only cost the veteran minimum, and potentially fills a position of extreme need with a polished, switchable 3-and-D power forward, it’s hard to imagine how the Suns could have done any better.

Hayes-Davis won’t be an All-Star, but I think that Suns’ fans will rapidly come to love him for his hustle, attitude, court awareness, savvy, array of ridiculous off-balance shots, and clutch 3-pointers.

Grade: A​

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...-hayes-davis-free-agency-2025-scouting-report

 

[Phoenix Suns]

From Villain to Valley? What Dillon Brooks brings to the Phoenix Suns

Booker & Brooks will team up in Phoenix | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

First came Grayson Allen. Now comes Dillon Brooks.

With Kevin Durant officially traded, the Suns begin their next chapter by welcoming defensive enforcer Dillon Brooks, a player with a controversial past, a productive present, and a potential future as Phoenix’s emotional anchor.

For the second time in recent years, the Phoenix Suns are importing a player with a reputation—one shaped not just by highlight reels or box scores, but by the very way he carries himself on a basketball court. And while Grayson Allen has quickly endeared himself to the Suns faithful with his elite shooting and a maturity-in-growth mindset, Dillon Brooks arrives with a similar reputation and a shot at similar redemption.

Dillon Brooks freely calls himself The Villain; he plays into it, but he’s one of those rugged and competitive guys that you’d rather have on your team than have to go against. We can have no doubt he’ll make games, training camp, and weekly practices more physical and competitive.

Brooks, acquired in the blockbuster Kevin Durant trade that also netted the Suns the 10th pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft and five second-rounders, enters a franchise in transition. Phoenix is trying to balance Devin Booker’s prime with competitive roster reshaping. In that delicate dance, Brooks may offer the blend of defense, toughness, and on-court identity they now sorely need. We do well to ask...

Who is Dillon Brooks? What is Dillon Brooks? Why is Dillon Brooks?

Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Everybody’s Scuff-a-lin’

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The Statistics​

Taking a few short-hand notes from Basketball Reference, here is our basic player profile:

Height: 6 Feet 6 Inches (6’6”)

Weight: 225 lbs (102 kg)

Position: Small Forward / Shooting Guard (wing)

Play Style: 3&D

Entering his age-30 season (currently 29 years old), Dillon Brooks has played eight years in the NBA and was a graduate of Oregon, selected 45th overall as the 15th pick in the 2nd round of the 2017 draft.

He has played for the Memphis Grizzlies (6 seasons) and the Houston Rockets (2 seasons), and now joins the Phoenix Suns for the 2025/26 campaign. He is under contract for three more years, having just completed the 1st-year of a new 4-year contract, and will earn $22,255,493.00 for the upcoming season.

2024/25 Regular Season

He has played 73 or more games in each of the last three seasons, and was a starting forward for the #2 seed Houston Rockets last season, averaging 14.0 points on .429% (.397 3PT%, and .818% from FT), 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.0 stocks per game. He started all 75 games he played in last season.

2024/25 Playoffs

In 7 games (all starts), Dillon Brooks’ numbers dropped off to 12.3 ppg, 3.1 RPG, 1.3 apg, but continually offered great energy and hustle—a Brooks trademark.

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Let’s take a deeper look, though, and go below the numbers.

A Better Version in Houston​

Let’s talk production, not just persona.

After being deemed “persona non grata” in Memphis — where his on-court antics and public comments wore thin (and was ultimately scapegoated by various reports), to which Memphis could pivot away from the hard-working and rugged player—Brooks signed with the Rockets and promptly reshaped his image. Statistically, it was his most efficient shooting season to date. But it was also his most contained—no unnecessary ejections. Well, almost no unnecessary ones...

However, recent memory may remind you that he was ejected in a Phoenix match-up last season.

Dillon Brooks EJECTED

pic.twitter.com/tvT2GplEXN

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 31, 2025

For the most part, Brooks was providing consistent minutes, defensive effort, and clear buy-in. Brooks did what rebuilding teams often ask of veterans: he led by competing, frequently setting the tone defensively for a much-improved Houston squad that jumped from 22 to 41 wins. And this is precisely what we can hope for in Phoenix.

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A Star Turn with Team Canada​

His 2023 summer campaign was just as compelling. Brooks played a pivotal role in Team Canada’s bronze medal run at the FIBA World Cup, putting up a blistering 39 points on 7-of-8 shooting from three in the third-place game against Team USA.

It was a performance that silenced boos and re-centered the narrative: Dillon Brooks is not just theater. He can play. And he can shine.

His defense on the perimeter and fearless attitude gave Canada an edge in a tournament filled with young stars. For Phoenix, a team that has struggled with perimeter defense and lacked physicality in key moments, that version of Brooks is more than welcome.

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A Fit That Might Actually Work​

Brooks will not be asked to replicate what Durant provided. And that’s the point.

He slides naturally into a defensive-minded wing role, similar to what Suns fans once loved in Mikal Bridges. Unlike Bridges, Brooks is bulkier, meaner, and more physical, and may unlock something dynamic offensively.

That said, if Phoenix surrounds him with efficient scorers and a structured offensive hierarchy (read: Booker and Beal), Brooks won’t need to hunt shots. He’ll need to hit open ones, take charges, and frustrate opponents.

That’s where he thrives.

If the Suns deploy him alongside Booker and a more-than-functional center rotation, Brooks may end up being the defensive glue they missed throughout the 2024–25 campaign.

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The Edge Phoenix Secretly Needed?​

Phoenix is in a period of recalibration. With KD now gone, the Suns will likely lean further into two-way players, effort guys, and emotional tone-setters. Brooks, despite his missteps, has demonstrated that he can effectively embody that role. What Phoenix lacked in edge last season, they now have in abundance. And after Grayson Allen reshaped his narrative in the Valley—proving his worth as a knockdown shooter and fierce competitor—there’s now a precedent for Brooks to do the same.

Off the Court & Online

Brooks shares much of his offseason work and national pride on his Instagram (@dillonbrooks24), where he’s active with fans, highlights, and occasional behind-the-scenes glimpses into his workouts and life. He isn’t particularly active on X; however, he has a YouTube channel that may get some more content sooner rather than later, considering this move.

And you’ve gotta love a guy that wants to lean into the Villain role.

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Final Word: A Move That Signals Intent​

The Suns didn’t just trade Durant. They added identity. Dillon Brooks may never be a perfect player—or a quiet one—but his willingness to defend, to battle, and to challenge opponents might make him the kind of mid-career vet who thrives in a system built around stars.

Phoenix needs more edge. Dillon Brooks has more than enough to share.

Brian Murphy-Imagn Images
Our very own Smiling Assassin

Lastly, for a further deep-dive into the player behind the name, check out this informative mini-movie by Cory Cash, “Dillon Brooks: Career Year Behind the Scenes”

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...what-dillon-brooks-brings-to-the-phoenix-suns

 

[Phoenix Suns]

The Suns are engineering the biggest trade in NBA History. Here’s what they’ll get out of it

Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

The Phoenix Suns may hold the key to the biggest trade in NBA history.

The Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets are reportedly working on expanding their blockbuster Kevin Durant trade into what could become a league-record seven-team mega-deal, according to a new report by Fred Katz of The Athletic.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Sources around the league suggest that the final form of the deal could involve not only Phoenix and Houston but also the Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s a staggering amount of coordination, and although no trade is imminent, negotiations are active with fine details still being hammered out.

This isn’t just smoke. It’s a carefully constructed puzzle, with each piece needing to fit just right to make the math and mechanics of the collective trades legal under the new, more punitive CBA.

What’s Actually Being Discussed?​

While the headlines will focus on Kevin Durant landing in Houston and the Suns acquiring key pieces like Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, the broader structure involves moving parts that date back to draft night. Many of those deals were agreed to in principle but remain unofficial until July 6. That gives teams a rare window to string deals together, stacking salaries and creating cap exceptions in a way that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

According to Katz, only five active NBA players are involved in the current version of the expanded trade:

• Kevin Durant → Rockets
• Jalen Green + Dillon Brooks → Suns
• Clint Capela → Rockets (via a sign-and-trade from Atlanta)
• Daeqwon Plowden → reportedly included in a way yet to be determined
• The rest → recent draftees and placeholders from already-agreed deals

Much of the deal involves cap maneuvering and sequencing transactions in a way that satisfies league rules and allows each team to walk away with what they want. For the Rockets, that means bringing in Durant while clearing room for him. For the Suns, it’s about squeezing value from a superstar departure and potentially reshaping the roster around Devin Booker with complementary younger talent and defensive tenacity.

Why the Suns Are Helping Facilitate This Trade​

Here’s the key: the Suns don’t have to do this. But by helping connect the dots for other franchises — adjusting timing, absorbing or rerouting small contracts, or simply being a conduit for players or trade exceptions — Phoenix can position itself to extract value on the margins.

In a deal this complex, somebody has to play the adult in the room, and that role can come with subtle but useful benefits.

The most likely payoff? A future second-round pick, maybe two, either directly from a team needing help balancing the books or as compensation for taking on a contract or trade obligation to make the whole thing work. In today’s NBA, those second-round picks matter more than ever. Just look at what teams like Denver and Miami have done with them, or how Oklahoma City has hoarded them to build flexibility.

This also helps the Suns build relationships with other front offices, positioning themselves as a cooperative, creative franchise under the new leadership of a new GM Gregory and owner Mat Ishbia — a long-term value that can’t be overstated.

Bottom Line?​

While it’s easy to get lost in the chaos of a potential seven-team trade, the Suns’ role as a facilitator shows how savvy teams can still win around the edges. Whether it’s with a second-round pick, a trade exception, or just goodwill in future dealings, Phoenix is making sure Durant’s departure isn’t just subtraction. It’s leverage.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...rriors-wolves-hawks-kevin-durant-trade-update

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Game Preview: Phoenix Mercury prepare for rematch with rising rookie star Paige Bueckers

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Here’s a look at the generational talent the Mercury are set to face ahead of tonight’s contest.

The Phoenix Mercury face the Dallas Wings and their star rookie, Paige Bueckers, on Thursday at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. The game will be televised by Arizona’s Family 3TV and Arizona’s Family Sports.

Bueckers, who was selected first overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft, is considered a generational talent. She became just the 10th player in the league’s history to be named an All-Star starter in their rookie season. This season, she is averaging the most points (18.4), assists (5.4), and steals (1.8) of the rookie class.

Bueckers scored a career-high 35 points in a 93-80 loss to the Mercury on July 11.

Bright Side of the Sun scouts Bueckers:

Generational Talent?​

Bueckers is considered one of the greatest UConn women’s basketball players ever. Coach Geno Auriemma has overseen the development of legends Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, and Breanna Stewart, among others. Bueckers may be his best player when her career is all said and done.

The 6-foot-tall Bueckers is often compared to the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark. But their similarities end at their popularity. While Clark is an excellent 3-point shooter, Bueckers may be the more talented young player.

Bueckers started as a freshman for Minnekota (Minn.) Hopkins was one of the most successful players in the state. She was compared to Tayler Hill, a McDonald’s All-American selection.

Bueckers’ ensuing collegiate career captivated basketball fans. She earned AP Player of the Year honors in 2021, averaging 20.0 points. The Huskies advanced to the NCAA Final Four and had a 28-2 record.

Bueckers was expected to receive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore, but she missed 19 games due to a knee injury. Her career was further derailed by a torn ACL in her left knee injury Aug. 2022.

Bueckers’ career was threatened, but her recovery was successful. She averaged a career-high 21.9 points as a junior. The Huskies were beaten by Clark, however, and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four.

Due to her knee injury, Bueckers had a final season of eligibility in 2024-25. She chose to forego the WNBA Draft and finally helped the Huskies win a national title.

Strengths​

Bueckers was famously recognized by a Minneapolis sports journalist in the sixth grade. Little did the reporter know that Bueckers would become everything he thought she would be.

Bueckers is a basketball savant. She can hold her dribble away from swiping defenders at ease. She can cross over into her jump shot or pull back for a 3-pointer. Her handles remind me of a younger Diana Taurasi.

Taurasi is regarded as arguably the greatest women’s player ever, and a fairer comparison for the young Bueckers. She is a fierce competitor, something that even Auriemma admitted he had to work with.

She is a high-level scorer, but her vision is arguably the better part of her game. Bueckers in her final season at UConn became the first player in college basketball, NBA or WNBA history to lead the country in assist-to-turnover ratio and have 50/40/90 splits. Bueckers totaled the second-best assist-to-turnover ratio (3.52) by the conclusion of her season.

Bueckers has torched the Mercury before, and she is a threat off the dribble and from deep. Making 13-of-19 field goals and 5-of-7 threes against Phoenix, she showed already why she is one of the most popular athletes in professional sports.

“Paige Buckets” is at her best with the ball in her hands. Wings coach Chris Koclanes may not have her as the primary ball-handler enough because she’s been assisted on a majority of her mid-range shots.

Weaknesses​

Yeah, there’s none really.

Scouts have nit-picked at Bueckers’ lack of aggression offensively and some defensive lapses. But check the numbers and you’ll see that Bueckers is already one of the most complete players in the WNBA.

She’s going to find ways to score, but you have to put her in tough spots to make plays for her teammates.

Bueckers will challenge Phoenix’s guards as she averages 1.8 steals per contest.

Preview​

The Mercury will look to respond from their 84-81 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. Phoenix had the longest winning streak (six games) in the WNBA prior to the loss.

The Mercury are favored by 11.5 points by ESPN. I expect the Mercury to cover and win comfortably.

Prediction: Mercury 90, Wings 76

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...ge-bueckers-wnba-preview-prediction-july-2025

 

[Phoenix Suns]

The Phoenix Suns may be closer than ever to a Bradley Beal buyout

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

The Suns may soon find out if letting go is better than holding on

When the Milwaukee Bucks waived and stretched Damian Lillard’s $112.6 million contract earlier this week, a new precedent was set, one unlike anything we’ve seen in NBA history. No team had ever waived and stretched a salary even remotely close to that size. The previous record? Just $31 million.

But when that move went down, something we’ve been circling here in Phoenix since February suddenly felt real.

Because the Suns, much like the Bucks, have a player sitting on a contract with two years and over $100 million still owed. And in the Bucks’ attempt to ease their immediate financial burden, they chose a long-term solution: pay Lillard $22.5 million annually over the next five years. It was bold. It was painful. But it was strategic.

And now, the Suns find themselves with the same option...if Bradley Beal agrees.

Because here’s the difference: a buyout isn’t a waiver. A buyout is a negotiation. A dialogue. It only happens if both sides reach an understanding. For Beal to be bought out, he’d have to willingly take less than what the Suns owe him. It’s not a decision you impose. It’s one you arrive at, together.

Yes, Damian Lillard had slightly more money remaining on his contract than Bradley Beal. About $1.8 million more. But the distinction isn’t just in the dollars, it’s in the math of cap mechanics.

The NBA restricts teams from carrying more than 15% of the salary cap in dead money. Milwaukee, despite waiving and stretching Lillard over five years, stayed just under that limit; his dead cap hit came in $670,000 below the threshold, which made the move possible.

Phoenix isn’t in that same position.

If the Suns were to waive and stretch Beal over five years, his cap hit would be $22.2 million annually. But they already carry $3.8 million in dead cap from stretching Nassir Little and EJ Liddell. Add it up, and they blow past the league’s limit. That’s $26 million, or 16.8% of the cap.

That’s where a buyout becomes essential. Not just preferable. Necessary.

In order for the Suns to access the same financial mechanism the Bucks used with Lillard, Bradley Beal would have to agree to take less than what he’s owed. That’s not just a strategic option, it’s the only way this path becomes legally viable.

Without a buyout, the numbers don’t work. With one? Phoenix could, at last, begin rewriting its future.

A Bradley Beal buyout, if the Suns were to seriously pursue one, would require a significant concession from Beal himself. For Phoenix to stay within the league’s 15% dead cap threshold and legally execute a waive-and-stretch strategy, Beal would need to agree to reduce his payout.

The rough math? He’d have to accept something in the neighborhood of $97 million out of the $110.8 million he’s still owed.

That’s nearly $14 million left on the table. Not an easy ask, even for a player with over a decade of NBA earnings. But it’s also the only scenario in which Phoenix could both move off the contract and stay compliant with league cap restrictions. It’s not about willingness alone; it’s about structure, thresholds, and precision.

In Brad’s case, the math starts to make a little more sense when you account for what he could reasonably earn elsewhere. My assumption? He’d likely sign for the mid-level exception, roughly $14.1 million. And if that’s the case, it helps bridge the gap in a potential buyout.

To make the numbers work for the Suns, Beal would need to accept a buyout in the ballpark of $96.7 million. That’s the sweet spot. Stretching that amount over five years brings the annual cap hit down to $19.3 million.

Now add in the $3.8 million in existing dead cap from the waivers of Nassir Little and EJ Liddell, and you land at $23.1 million in total dead cap. With next season’s salary cap projected at $155.1 million, that’s 14.9% of the cap, just under the league’s hard 15% threshold.

In other words, that’s the number. $96.7 million is the minimum buyout amount that makes a waive-and-stretch scenario even possible. Any higher, and the Suns break the rules. Any lower, and they start gaining real flexibility.

It’s not just a financial puzzle. It’s a legal one. And Beal holds the final piece.

Per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, that is the discussion that is occurring right now.

Sources: Phoenix Suns discussing possible Bradley Beal buyout (w/video) #Suns https://t.co/4fqkzKeKTs via @azcentral

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) July 3, 2025​

“The Phoenix Suns have been discussing a possible buyout for guard Bradley Beal, league sources have informed The Arizona Republic,” Rankin states.

This is one of the key reasons why trading Bradley Beal has felt virtually impossible. Yes, the obvious obstacle is the no-trade clause. He holds all the leverage, with the ability to veto any destination the Suns might explore. But there’s another, more nuanced challenge working against Phoenix: perception.

Why would any team trade for Bradley Beal when there’s a growing belief that a buyout could be on the horizon? Why surrender assets like draft capital, young players, and matching salaries when you could potentially get him for pennies on the dollar if the Suns are forced to buy him out? That logic looms large across the league. It’s a waiting game, and Beal’s value drops the longer he stays tethered to a contract Phoenix can’t afford to carry.

And we’ve already seen the reaction across the league to Milwaukee’s move with Damian Lillard. The waive-and-stretch was widely criticized as a short-term fix with long-term consequences. And that’s exactly what it was.

But the Bucks did it anyway, because they had a reason: Giannis Antetokounmpo. A two-time MVP whose long-term happiness and loyalty are the franchise’s top priority.

Like Phoenix, Milwaukee was a second-apron team drowning in inflexibility and low on draft capital. But once they stretched Lillard’s contract, it opened the door. They regained breathing room, and with that, they moved quickly to acquire Myles Turner.

Phoenix? They don’t have a superstar whom they are afraid of losing. Devin Booker is here and here to stay. The teams made a commitment, and he’s made a commitment to them. So their hand isn’t being as forced as Milwaukee’s was. But in the same breath, the theory that we’ve talked about since February is becoming a reality as the conversations are occurring.

It makes you wonder: is this the right move?

Do you put up with the next two years of Bradley Beal, fully aware that this team, as currently constructed, doesn’t have what it takes to win a championship? Do you ride it out, hoping for a miracle, knowing that releasing his salary might not open the door to contention, but could instead just bury you further with long-term dead cap?

Or do you cut bait now? Accept the sunk cost. Call it what it is — a mistake — and take this as a chance to course correct. A rare opportunity to fix a misstep before it defines the next five years.

But then again is that correction just another mistake? A short-term fix with long-term pain. A decision made not from strength, but from desperation.

That’s the question facing the Suns. Not whether Bradley Beal is a good player. Ee know he is. But whether holding onto the past is safer than letting go of it entirely.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...nd-stretch-contract-nba-salary-cap-dead-money

 

[Phoenix Suns]

The Phoenix Suns want to build a gritty, fun team. The Phoenix Mercury beat them to it.

Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year. Then Nick U’Ren went to work.

Ever since the dominoes began to fall at the conclusion of the Phoenix Suns’ direct-to-video regular season, the Valley’s basketball community has been awash in buzzwords. Grit. Toughness. Joy. Identity.

Alignment.

Well, the team the Suns share arena space with — the Phoenix Mercury — beat them to the punch.

At 12-6 on the season, the Mercury sit in third place in the league. This is occurring in what rightfully should have been a transition season. Face of the franchise Diana Taurasi called it a career in February. Brittney Griner departed as a free agent. Without those two and a cupboard bare from mortgaging the future to maximize Taurasi’s championship window, the Mercury faced the real prospect of rebuilding in earnest, maybe tanking for a couple years for a shot to nab JuJu Watkins or some other budding superstar in the draft. But general manager Nick U’Ren accomplished what passes for legend among front office types, spoken of in hushed tones within backrooms choked in cigar smoke: He didn’t rebuild; he reloaded.

Only Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack returned from the 2024 squad, but U’Ren carried out a vision, flipping franchise favorites like Natasha Cloud and Sophie Cunningham when the opportunity arose to acquire elite talent like perennial MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas and rising phenom Satou Sabally.

Just like that, the Mercury birthed a new Big Three. And, crucially, a complementary one.

Thomas, the WNBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles, is the closest thing to Nikola Jokic the W has. A big with the playmaking instincts of a point guard. A bull around the basket, but Liberalitas with a basketball. Thomas makes the Mercury offense click, leading the league in assists at 9.4 per game.

Sabally is a wing in a four’s body who was just named an All-Star for the third time in her career. She can stretch the defense beyond the 3-point arc or score in the paint and is doing so to the tune of a career-high 19.1 points per night. And at 27 years old, Sabally is just entering her prime.

Copper is a fiery guard who competes on both ends of the court, capable of immolating her opponent on offense and extinguishing that same opponent on defense. She scored 30-plus points in nine of her 37 games last season for Phoenix and notched her first 30-piece of 2025 in just her sixth game played coming off knee surgery.

Again, these pieces fit together. U’Ren clearly worked on the puzzle with a picture in his mind. But three pieces do not a jigsaw puzzle make, and pundits pounced on the Mercury for yet another top-heavy roster surrounded by a supporting cast cobbled together with spit and baling wire. But (and pardon the dated reference) honey badger Mercury don’t care.

Weak bench? Mercury don’t care. They’re second in the league in bench scoring at 26.2 points per game. Too many rookies — undrafted rookies at that? Mercury don’t care. The team’s rooks average 32.4 points (1st), 9.7 rebounds (2nd), 6.6 assists (2nd), 4.1 steals (1st), 1.6 blocks (1st), and 5.4 made 3-pointers (1st) per contest combined. Injured stars? Mercury don’t care. Surgery cost Copper the first month of the season, and Thomas sat five games; the Mercury kept chugging.

Head coach Nate Tibbetts, who was plucked from a long career as an assistant coach in the NBA before last season, wanted a versatile team. U’Ren went out and got Thomas and Sabally, two of the most versatile players in the WNBA. Tibbetts wanted a team that could shoot the leather off the basketball. U’Ren assembled a team that’s leading the league in 3-pointers made per game and established a new franchise record for made 3-pointers in consecutive games — most recently drilling 18 treys against the defending champion New York Liberty on June 27. Tibbetts wanted his team to have a defensive identity. Despite some recent slippage, U’Ren’s roster ranks first in steals per game and in the top seven for opponent field goal percentage, opponent 3-point percentage, and opponent scoring.

And credit to the scouting department, which scoured the European leagues for gems others overlooked. Like Lexi Held, who is the WNBA’s answer to Jose Alvarado and a great story in a season of great stories for the Mercury. She has missed the last four games with a right pneumothorax, and Phoenix has desperately missed her intensity. And Monique Akoa Makani, the undrafted rookie who has started all 18 games this season and is currently fifth in the league in 3-point percentage. And Kitija Laksa, who ranks 21st in 3-point percentage and 12th in 3-point makes. And Kathryn Westbeld, the 29-year-old rookie who stepped in as the starting center when Mack landed on the injured list and now ranks 10th in the league for blocks. All of these players proved themselves in top-tier competition overseas (some over multiple seasons), parlayed that experience into a training camp invite, and are now entrenched in key roles.

Owner Mat Ishbia’s investment in the scouting department deserves plaudits, with Preston Fawcett, director of player personnel for the Mercury, crediting Ishbia and CEO Josh Bartelstein in a recent article with “giving us the resources” to find these impact players. Perhaps in time the Mercury will develop the WNBA’s version of the San Antonio Spurs’ vaunted Euro mining operation.

But as important as all that is, this team has one more thing going for it: These women have fun. They enjoy playing the game. They enjoy playing with each other, for each other. There are no slumped shoulders, the body language isn’t sour. Even when they dig a hole, they believe they’ll climb right back out of it — and often have.

It’s the kind of togetherness you get from a team when care was taken to ensure all the pieces fit. When a coaching staff communicates expectations and intention clearly to the players. And when the players all enjoy coming to work in the morning. In other words…

Alignment.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...thomas-satou-sabally-kahleah-copper-alignment