The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.
Grayson Allen arrived in Phoenix right before the 2023 season in that three-team deal involving Deandre Ayton, Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, and Toumani Camara. He has been a steady force, whether off the bench
or in a starting role, for Phoenix over the past three seasons; he’s fit right in like a glove.
Grayson has been a low-maintenance role player who has more to his game than you’d think once you get a closer look. He is not “just” a shooter. He is a legitimate athletic downhill threat and secondary playmaker.
Allen missed 32 games, but even with a down year relative to his three-point shooting, he showcased why he is one of the best value contracts on the team, posting career highs in scoring and assists.
Expanded Role, Not Regression
Let’s address the elephant in the room right away. Allen’s 2025-26 season naturally leaves you a bit cautious. Missing 32 games and watching his usually lethal three-point efficiency dip to 34.9% (alongside a 40.3% overall field-goal percentage) are some yellow flags of caution to monitor. That said, he did average a career-high in PPG (16.5), APG (3.8), and 3PFGA (8.9) this season.
The increase in volume, along with a couple of rough shooting stretches and injury woes, is more than likely the culprit for the dip in efficiency. In his expanded role, the volume was there, the aggressiveness was there, and the defense remained mostly steady. On a guard-heavy roster where every single contract matters, a down year from your premium floor-spacer triggers concern; that’s only fair.
Let’s not forget he dropped a career-high 42 points to go with a franchise-best 10 three pointers in a win over the Pelicans in November!
Grayson Allen is an easy player to take for granted. Plenty of teams could use an efficient floor-spacing guard that competes on both ends and makes the right play more often than not. He is athletic and has excellent footwork and deceleration skills on the move.
3 Reasons the Suns should keep him
With the Suns’ sudden influx of guard depth, it is incredibly easy to fall into the trap of viewing Allen as expendable. But trading away a high-IQ, plug-and-play volume shooter just to balance out a positional spreadsheet is how good teams accidentally slide back into mediocrity.
1. Perimeter Gravity + Downhill threat
Even in a self-described “down” shooting year, Allen still canned 3.1 triples a night. Opposing coaching staffs don’t look at his season percentage on a scouting report and decide to leave him open; they respect the quick release and the proven history.
When Devin Booker is hunting paint touches or running the offense, the floor geometry completely changes depending on whether Allen is standing on the wing. His gravity is far more than a luxury. It’s a necessity. And he can aggressively attack closeouts and put the ball on the deck. As mentioned above, he is not just a shooter.
2. Every Contender Wants This Exact Archetype
The modern NBA is defined by premium wing depth. Teams are constantly scouring the market, desperate to find players who can hit open shots, execute extra passes, and defend multiple perimeter positions without demanding heavy usage.
Grayson Allen is exactly what every contending front office is searching for. Having that piece already in-house is a massive competitive advantage.
3. The 11% Cap Bargain
Grayson Allen is still on a relatively friendly contract heading into next season at $18.1 million, which accounts for roughly 11% of the salary cap. He holds a player option for $19.4 million the following year. In an era where the second apron and tightening financial restrictions can paralyze a front office, having a highly productive asset locked in at roughly 11% of the cap is an incredibly team-friendly, movable contract sitting right in a mid-tier sweet spot.
And for that same reason, it’s why he’s come up in potential trade talks, which I’m not against if the RIGHT deal comes along that addresses their weaknesses. Trading him just to trade him is a mistake.
Closing Thought
Guard depth is a position of strength, not a flaw that requires a panicked correction. Unless a landscape-altering frontcourt piece becomes available via a consolidated package, keeping Allen’s spacing, elite perimeter gravity, contract flexibility, and competitive fire in the Valley is the smartest path forward.
If the perfect deal comes along that moves the needle, I’m okay dealing from a position of strength. Otherwise, let’s welcome Grasyon back to the Valley with open arms.
