Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week, the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — gives their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: There’s a lot of fan talk about trading Devin Booker. What’s your opinion on what the Suns could likely expect to get back for Book if traded?
GuarGuar: I am very, very against trading Book. Let me start with that. However, if we did, I’m sure we could get some first round picks and a couple of young players. I don’t think we’d get this unbelievable, enormous haul. He’s gonna be 30 and probably has already reached his peak as a player.
Trading him would set us back for a while.
Diamondhacks: This asks for my opinion…about other people’s opinions. My opinion is that Booker’s elite at drawing fouls and converting FT’s. He’s very solid at a couple of other things and therefore a formidable offensive asset.
My opinion about other people’s opinions is that some FOs similarly value Book’s skill set, to return the favor. Along the lines of a D’Aaron Fox or Austin Reaves equivalent…contingent, of course, on the NBA’s byzantine transaction rules, which only 37 people in the world seem to fully understand.
Ashton: Ah, the dreaded Trade Booker question. Way to kick it off, Rod.
Salary cap relief maybe? It will still be bits and pieces in return. And this question rolls so perfectly into Q2 as the real prize is if the Suns can get high-value picks in return.
But let’s be honest here. Book isn’t going anywhere. Booker is Arizona to the core that is last extension should have included a no-trade clause, because that is basically the power he has. His colorways shoes feature green from his off-season home in Flagstaff and his next upcoming Sedona debut featuring turquoise in partnership with McDonalds. It features a “M” and for those that do not know Sedona, they have a city ordinance requiring businesses to put their logos into turquoise. That includes the billion-dollar chain that features overpriced menu items that makes you run for the bathroom. It is quite iconic. I have been to Sedona many times over 30 plus years and seeing a McDonalds with turquoise branding over that time span is just so weird. Enough of Sedona, Brandon Duenas has an article detailing the shoes and I am no “sneakerhead”. I am only pointing out that Book knows Arizona through his colorways, from Flagstaff to U of A.
Which play-off team would absorb his contract? Would the Thunder really have won Game 1 if Booker was on the squad? Pistons may be in the ECF finals if they had him. Both teams could meet the bar with asset ready players and picks. Maybe the Spurs win game 2?
But in the end, the question is moot. Booker is quintessential Arizona. Next topic.
OldAz: I have given this zero thought because it is so impossible to consider for many reasons. If it was something they were looking into, they would need to get back a lot, but who is trading for Booker who also has a collection of assets the Suns would want?
If I were to remove Book’s history and place him in the Suns franchise and make this move, it would be because I was going all in on a core of Green, Brooks, and some of the young talent the Suns have in Fleming, KM, Williams, and even Gillespie. From a pure basketball perspective, this would work, but the Suns would be wise in this scenario to target draft picks and young players, but those are not going to offset Booker’s massive salary. On the other hand, if someone is adding Book, it is probably to pair with their existing star player(s).
The only way I see this working is if a team has an overpriced older star to balance salaries along with more attractive but less expensive assets to send in a deal. I just can’t think of any good examples that would start to move this needle for me and also be attractive to the other team.
Rod: Well, the short answer is that, whatever the return is, it’s not likely going to be enough to make the Suns better in the short term. With the new CBA in place, teams are learning the value of having young players on cheaper contracts on the roster so I doubt that anyone is going to give up many unprotected draft picks or really good younger players still on relatively cheap contracts. Other teams have learned from the Suns’ own mistakes (their trades for Durant and Beal) how badly that can turn out.
Yes, getting rid on his max contract would help the team by adding some financial flexibility. However, with over $20+ mil in dead money on the cap sheet for years to come, and possible hefty extensions due to Brooks and Green coming in the next two years, it might not really have as much of an impact on the cap situation as some think.
Basically, the idea of trading Book just to get off of his current contract isn’t a wise one. That doesn’t mean that trading him shouldn’t be considered though. If a team calls with a really good offer, you have to at least consider it…but only if it’s a really good offer.
Q2: One constant in most trade proposals is getting back draft picks. Without control of their own draft picks over the next few years, how valuable do you believe gaining someone else’s draft picks would actually be?
GuarGuar: It’s hard to get a lottery pick unless it’s your own so trading for somebody else’s first would most likely mean it’s a late first round pick which isn’t nearly as valuable. We’re kinda screwed when it comes to gaining a top pick in the draft for the next 5 years but having someone else’s pick is better than nothing. I don’t know what we have to offer other than Booker that could net us a first round pick though.
Diamondhacks: The average developed player in today’s NBA is very good and only ten or a dozen picks in each draft seem to rise much above that, to add incremental value. And it’s never the top ten picks either. It’s always more distributed out, to 2nd rounders like Kalkbrenner, Ajay Mitchell and, we hope, Fleming. So I wouldn’t think the immediate impact to the Suns (of no high picks) is likely to be large.
But longer term, having no first rounders is a problem. You’re not only missing out on multiple pools of rising talent, hence more likely to land a franchise piece, but it also hurts negotiating leverage in trades, because you’ve publicly shut off an alternative means to improve your team.
Ashton: Almost a continuation of Q1.
Every NBA team and fans are looking at the OKC and Spurs model that hoarded draft picks and developed young players organically over time or lucked into Wemby. Those first round picks over the next few years are going to be extremely valuable because there is no realistic path for trading Booker for picks and scrubs. The days of receiving five first round picks or over.
And yes, the all-wise national pundits are already declaring 2027 draft weak. I will go on the record to say that it is not. NIL is bringing back quality-level NBA ready players back to college, players whose ultimate goal is to play in the NBA. They will be back in 2027 and beats me for 2028 draft cycles.
Also, it is likely that anti-tanking rules will come into effect that basically punishes the bottom three teams with decreased percentage odds for the first pick while increasing percentages for 16 teams. It is way too much to go into here.
In the end, sure, first round picks are valuable if they fall into lottery range. A salary cap hindrance if they do not. Sure, two-ways could be used for the second round and non-guaranteed contracts, but this question is loaded because the value is in 1-16 unprotected picks.
OldAz: This one is tough because the new regime seems committed to player development, which is always more important to me than where they draft, so having more picks is a good thing. However, trading picks has become so convoluted with swap rights that you almost have no idea where a future pick might end up. It seems everyone values picks more for their trade value than actually for picking and developing new players. In either case, having more picks for either use (future trades or young players) is something the Suns lack and could benefit from.
Rod: Depending on protections, they could turn out to be very valuable. Their most likely value would be as additional trade chips though. I occasionally see fans saying that the Suns should try to get their own picks back but that’s extremely unlikely as long as those teams believe that the Suns are going to be a bad team when the time to use those picks comes around. With anyone else’s picks, it’s a real gamble as to just how valuable they’ll actually be when draft time rolls around. Unless you’ve got control of your own picks, going into a full blown rebuild is a recipe for failure.
I certainly want the Suns to add a few more picks to their asset war chest but, in all honesty, that should only be their number one concern if they’re making trades to shed salary.
Q3 – Which Suns player (or players) do you believe is most likely to show significant/meaningful improvement next season?
GuarGuar: I think Rasheer is most likely to show the biggest improvement. You could see the difference in his game from the beginning of the season to now. I think the organization knows if we have a chance of becoming a top team we are going to need him to develop into a very good player. He has a lot of raw talent and he’s got the best defensive prowess on the team. I’m expecting big things from him next year and for him to be a starter by at least midway through the season.
Diamondhacks: Maluach. He and Fleming improved their skillsets, but Maluach is our youngest player (by more than two years) and therefore earlier on in his projected development arc. In his first NBA nibble, Maluach shot 71% FTs and, after Jan 1, 31% from three. He’s already our best shot blocker. I think that’s all quite encouraging for a 7-foot teenager.
Ashton: This is almost a softball question. Khaman Maluach. He is not being traded anytime soon and will see the NBA game come to him.
Sure, some would say Fleming to step up into the power forward role, but I see it differently.
We (fans) have no idea if Mark Williams will leave, be extended, or be injured and that puts the onus on Oso. The trickle-down effect is to KM (I still dislike the moniker Man Man – he has to prove it).
And my prediction market states KM for Suns MIP.
OldAz: I think Fleming is the most likely because his path to getting that opportunity seems the most clear at the moment. However, if Williams is not resigned or moves elsewhere, then KM also has a clear path and oodles of talent to grow into. At the moment, I say Fleming because I am just so enamored about having his physical abilities on the floor as a Suns fan, but Maluach having an early breakout year would not shock me at all.
Are there really any other candidates here? Dunn could magically figure it out, but his ceiling seems to be a really good rotational piece and Oso is already exceeding expectations and until he can develop a jumpshot (not holding my breath).
Rod: As much as I hope it’s either Fleming or Maluach, I’m going with Collin Gillespie here. As frustrating as it was for fans to watch Collin fade toward the end of last season, I doubt that anyone was more frustrated by that than Collin himself…and I think that’s going to drive him even harder this offseason to improve himself and be better prepared for the NBA’s 82-game grind.
I don’t know just how much better he can get, but I see him as someone determined to keep improving himself, keep adding to his game as long as he’s in uniform. I don’t see him making a huge leap in any single aspect of his game, but I do feel as though he could make enough small improvements in different areas that would add up to a significant improvement overall.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Suns Trivia/History
On May 23, 1976, the Suns played in their first-ever NBA Finals game against the Celtics in Boston. The Suns put up 22 more field goal attempts than the Celtics (99-77), but an uncharacteristically poor shooting night for the Suns (.384 vs .472 season average), plus being outscored 20-11 at the free throw line, led to a 98-87 loss to the Celtics. It was also the only game of the series in which Paul Westphal (8 points on 4 of 17 shooting) failed to score in double digits.
On May 23, 1984, the Suns defeated the LA Lakers 126-121 in LA in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, cutting the Lakers’ series lead to 3-2. All five of the Suns’ starters — Kyle Macy, Walter Davis, Maurice Lucas, Larry Nance, and James Edwards — scored 20+ points in this game, with Macy, Davis, and Lucas all playing 40+ minutes (and Nance was close with 39 mins). Sadly, their series comeback attempt would be cut short when they lost the following game in Phoenix 99-97 on May 25.
On May 23, 2021, the Suns returned to the playoffs after an 11-year absence and defeated the LA Lakers 99-90 in their first playoff game in over a decade. Devin Booker led the Suns with 34 points while Deandre Ayton added a double-double with 21 points and 16 rebounds to take a 1-0 series lead in their first round matchup.
On May 25, 1993, newly acquired Sun Charles Barkley won the Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the 1993 NBA Most Valuable Player. Barkley helped lead the Phoenix Suns to a then-franchise and NBA-best 62-20 record during the 1992-93 season and averaged 25.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 76 games. Barkley was the first of only two Suns to win the award, the second being Steve Nash, who later collected back-to-back MVP trophies in 2004-05 and 2005-06.
On May 28, 1974, the Phoenix Suns drafted future 9-time NBA All-Star and eventual Basketball Hall of Fame member George Gervin with the 40th pick in the 3rd round of the NBA Draft. Gervin was, however, already playing in the old ABA and elected to stay there with the San Antonio Spurs instead of jumping to the NBA to play for the Suns. Gervin was originally signed to play in the ABA for the Virginia Squires in 1973 by Johnny “Red” Kerr…formerly the first head coach of Phoenix Suns in 1968-69 and 1969-70.
Important Future Dates
Mid-June (date TBD) – Teams can begin negotiating with their own free agents (following the Finals)
June 23 – NBA Draft First Round, 8 ET (ABC/ESPN)
June 24 – NBA Draft Second Round, 8 ET (ESPN)
June 30 – Teams can begin negotiations with all free agents
July 1 – Official start of the 2026-27 league year and moratorium period
July 6 – Moratorium ends, official free agent contract signings can begin
July 9-19 – NBA 2K Summer League 2026 in Las Vegas
Late September (dates TBD) – NBA Training Camps open
