Suns Owner: We're Not Scared of NBA's Second Apron

PHOENIX — Scared money don't make money.

That's how Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia has operated since taking over the organization a few years ago, splurging on big names and being quick to cut losses after things clearly didn't work out.

Last season, the Suns cleaned their books up by moving off Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal before making an eye-opening playoff run. Phoenix, for the first time in years, escaped the luxury tax.

That's afforded a bit of a brighter future for the Suns, though there's always the potential for a move to be made for Phoenix to put themselves back into the second apron.

Ishbia says he's not afraid of it.

"Obviously, the second apron's out there. It's real. It's definitely a component of the analysis. But as you guys have seen, we're not afraid to spend money here. We're not afraid to go in the first apron or the second apron. What we're focused on is winning and bringing a championship here to Phoenix and building the team the right way for the long term, not just the short term," he said.

"And so all those things are components that we have to make decisions upon. But we feel like we're in a really great position. We understand that there's red money on the books, but have you seen our team? One of the best parts about Phoenix ... The way we treat people here in Phoenix, players want to be here. So players want to be in Phoenix. Whether the free agents come here, maybe on a little bit discount, players want to stay here. So we feel really good that we have all the things we need to build a championship team.

"We don't have to wait three years, four years, five years, six years. Like we're going to continue to ascend, continue to build with the great young players, the great stars we have early, and hopefully compete at the highest level. So we feel really good about it."

The Suns could potentially avoid the NBA's repeater tax by not putting themselves above the line this season. Phoenix is already in the first apron of the luxury tax, though it's tough to imagine they'll put themselves back into the second.

Ishbia is still adamant that won't scare the Suns from making a move:

"And the second apron, if an opportunity came in, that doesn't scare us away. What scares us away is not being competitive, not playing the right way, not playing with toughness, not playing with grit. That scares me. The second apron is not scary," he said.