If you haven't heard, the Phoenix Suns have no money to spend this summer.
Well, they do, but only on outside players arriving in free agency on veteran minimum players. Phoenix can also pay players who have team or player options for the 2024-25 season while also owning the Bird Rights of Royce O'Neale - meaning they can go above and beyond to keep him in the Valley.
Yet most of their spending is tied into the top parts of the roster thanks to the salaries of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, who make roughly $150 million combined for the coming season.
The Suns sure hope their star trio will pay dividends in more ways than one, though when it comes to drastically altering the team - especially in free agency - Phoenix doesn't have much wiggle room.
To paint the picture a bit better, the Suns ranked dead last in ESPN's tiered salary cap system. The Suns are one of four teams in the league's second luxury tax apron and currently have the NBA's highest payroll.
"The second apron will challenge Phoenix in how it can acquire a facilitator. Besides their first-round pick, the Suns are left with the veteran minimum exception. They could also explore trades by using the Jusuf Nurkic or Nassir Little contracts but can't combine both salaries or take back more money. Expect the Suns to prioritize re-signing forward Royce O'Neale."ESPN's Bobby Marks
As Marks highlights in the article, the Suns are $37.5 million above the luxury tax. They're a full $30 million above the first apron and $19.5 million above the second apron.
When it comes to second apron spending, Phoenix's $19.5 million deficit outweighs the other three teams combined at $13 million.
The Suns are prohibited from doing the following (h/t ESPN):
- Sign a player to the $5.2 million tax midlevel exception
- Take back more money in a trade
- Sign-and-trade a free agent and exceed the second apron
- Aggregate contracts sent out
- Use a preexisting trade exception
- Send cash in a trade
We'll see what the Suns can do to get creative this summer, but it won't be anything wild like we've grown accustom to since owner Mat Ishbia took over the helm.
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