Suns Buy/Sell: Trades, Coaching Search and More

Being stuck in 'no-man's land' is the worst position to be in across all sports - and the Phoenix Suns are dangerously close to becoming the latest victim in the NBA world.

The Suns - at least in new general manager Brian Gregory's mind - are too good to post a 36-46 record year in and out - that doesn't even matter within the context of the Phoenix franchise, as the Suns do not control their picks for nearly a decade.

Not being in a position to fully embrace a rebuild while also not having a clear path to get back into contention is a truly suboptimal position to be in - the coming months will be very telling for the future of the franchise.

Some of the most pressing questions surrounding the future below:

The Suns Will Receive Less Than Expected in Kevin Durant Trade

Five franchises in particular have been linked to Durant if a trade is to materialize this summer - the San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Miami Heat are expected to be involved in trade discussions.

The Houston Rockets could ultimately emerge as a contender for the Slim Reaper's services as well, although it has been reported that the franchise's interest has been overstated.

The prevailing thought in the process is that the Suns will be unable to get back the same value that they orginally sent out to acquire Durant in February 2023 - largely due to the star turning 37 in September and only having one year left on his contract.

It certainly appears that the Suns will be forced to choose between receiving picks or a prized prospect in this scenario - but the impending playoff results for the Knicks and Timberwolves could add a fascinating dynamic to conversations.

If Durant is indeed willing to move to any of the aforementioned destinations, an untimely exit for the T-Wolves or Knicks could raise the level of desperation for either - which could snowball into a bidding war.

For now, it looks as if the Suns will get the short end of the stick - but that could change in a matter of days.

Verdict: Tentatively buy, but playoff results over the next two weeks could change this.

Booker Will Sign Extension This Summer

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reiterated the widely held belief that franchise player Devin Booker will sign a two-year, maximum level extension in the coming weeks to lock down his commitment to the franchise.

While rumors have spread over the last 12 months that Booker could be of interest to a franchise such as the Rockets, there have been no signs that the player or Mat Ishbia is looking to end a 10-year partnership.

Booker is beloved in Phoenix and desires to stay loyal in the same vein as his idol Kobe Bryant - and Ishbia has stated on multiple occassions that the Suns organization wants Booker to be a lifer in Phoenix.

Expect Booker to put the pen to paper in the near future and lock down what is hopefully a brighter future in the Valley after two disastrous seasons.

Verdict: Buy, Booker is committed to Phoenix, and Phoenix is committed to Booker.

The Suns Will Consider Former Head Coaches for Open Position

Recent reports have surfaced that the Suns could consider coaching candidates with previous head coaching experience such as Dave Joerger and James Borrego for the vacant position that was left by Mike Budenholzer.

This follows the consistent reporting that Phoenix is set to target a prized assistant coach that has yet to be a head coach in the league - Royal Ivey of the Houston Rockets, Johnnie Bryant of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and even Jared Dudley of the Dallas Mavericks have been frequently mentioned in the fray here.

While Joerger and Borrego could garner interviews, it would seem as if they were simply of the courtesy variety - almost all signs point towards Gregory going with a younger assistant coach that is more in line with the modern NBA while also being malleable.

Verdict: The Suns could gift interviews to coaches such as Joerger and Borrego, but it is very unlikely that any of them end up being the hire.

Phoenix Will Trade a Rotation Wing

Few reports have suggested that the Suns could look to move on from either Grayson Allen or Royce O'Neale this summer - but speculation amongst the Phoenix fanbase has made this topic an interesting one.

O'Neale and Allen are quality role players that could certainly contribute to an improved Suns team in 2025-26 - but both are also on contracts that are easily movable and could net the franchise a quality player at a position of greater need.

Nick Richards, Oso Ighodaro, and Bol Bol is a fine center rotation, but the Suns could attempt to leverage a pressing need from another franchise (the Orlando Magic's need for floor spacing) to acquire a potentially expendable player such as Goga Bitadze.

This could ultimately be a far fetched idea, as Grayson Allen could have experienced a hit on his trade value over the last several months, but it is one that is surely worth discussing nonetheless.

Verdict: Sell for now, but Allen or O'Neale could be a valuable bargaining chip with a franchise such as the Magic to get a roster upgrade elsewhere.