With free agency still more than a month away, teams already eliminated from the postseason are putting together their big boards. Targets they’re interested in. Assets they have available. Ways to start piecing together the puzzle that will become the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns roster.
We all have our theories about who the Suns should add, who they could add, and how they can make the money work. At the same time, the front office is building its own board. And according to reports, two names on that
list are players still active in the postseason. Two players who bring very similar traits.
Per Clutch Points reporter Brett Siegel, the Suns have been linked to Dean Wade of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Harrison Barnes of the San Antonio Spurs.
Both players are power forwards who can stretch the floor. Neither gives you much interior size, still, both provide a real presence from beyond the arc.
Harrison Barnes will be 34 next season and entering his 13th year in the league. He’s coming off his second season with the San Antonio Spurs and made $19 million last year. San Antonio does hold his Bird rights if they want to bring him back. Given the youth movement happening there, it’s hard to see them spending heavily to retain Barnes at this stage.
Dean Wade is interesting for different reasons. He’s 29 years old with six seasons of NBA experience, all spent with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s finishing up a three-year, $18.5 million contract. Cleveland is operating over the second apron, which means tough business decisions are coming. They also hold Wade’s Bird rights, still, retaining him could become difficult depending on how aggressive they want to be financially.
So the question becomes, what is their value on the open market? And is it something the Phoenix Suns would be willing to pay?
There are other factors involved as well. If the Suns move off either Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale, or both, then Dean Wade becomes a much more intriguing target. You don’t want to overpay for him, still, he could replicate parts of the outgoing skill set while giving you more size in the process.
Harrison Barnes is different for me. On a veteran minimum deal, sure. Beyond that, I’m not interested at this point.
Given the fact that Phoenix will probably operate on the fringes instead of chasing splashy trades, these are the kinds of names you should expect them to be tied to. Moving off Allen or O’Neale is realistic, and doing so could open different ways to improve around the margins. You still have to replace what those players provide.
Wade shot 36.2% from three this season. Barnes shot 38.8%. Both are complementary pieces that can help in spot starts and rotational roles. The question becomes role expectation. They’re unrestricted free agents. Maybe they want more. Maybe they want starting opportunities, similar to what Tyus Jones once sought in Phoenix.
That’s where restraint matters. If starting promises are part of the pitch, the Suns should pass. You already have Rasheer Fleming sitting there. He should be getting starts at power forward next season, not veterans born during the Bush administration.
That’s my two cents. Let us know in the comments how you feel about the Suns being linked to these two players.
