Suns Projected to Make Unexpected Blockbuster Trade With Bucks

It's going to be a busy summer for the Phoenix Suns.

They are set for a second round of interviews as they're aiming to determine their next head coach -- which will be their fourth in as many years.

That's just the first decision that needs to be made this offseason. After that, a much bigger question comes into play. What will the Suns do with the roster?

Kevin Durant is the biggest domino, of course. Devin Booker is a franchise talent and has made it clear he wants to remain in Phoenix. What does a transition from the post-Durant era look like for the Suns, if they plan to keep Booker around?

A full-on rebuild might not be the answer, but a quick retool and gap year could be something the Suns lean on. Oh, and they wouldn't have to wait on Giannis Antetokounmpo to be moved before trading Durant, in this scenario.

Bleacher Report pitched a handful of blockbuster trades for the offseason, with one being between the Suns and Milwaukee Bucks, which is geared towards keeping Antetokounmpo with the franchise.

In the projected trade, the Suns trade Bradley Beal to the Bucks, where he can compete, in exchange for Damian Lillard, the Bucks' 2031 first-round and second-round picks.

"Trading for Lillard when he may not play next season after suffering a torn left Achilles wouldn't help the Suns compete in 2025-26. That's the point," Bleacher Report wrote.

It's important to keep in mind that, in this hypothetical, the Suns would have already dealt Durant to the Houston Rockets in exchange for the No. 10 pick, Jabari Smith Jr. and Jalen Green.

"After regaining control of their 2026 first-rounder (and 2027 first) in the previous deal, they could treat next season as a gap year. Then, in this hypothetical scenario, they would enter 2026-27 with a core of Booker, Lillard on an expiring contract, Jabari Smith Jr., whomever they take at No. 10 this June and another higher first-round pick," Bleacher Report continued. "They would also have their own 2027 first-rounder, as well as the Bucks' in 2031."

Why would the Bucks do this, though? The answer is simple: desperation.

"The Bucks shouldn't make this deal in a vacuum. Beal is owed $110.8 million over the next two years—a contract that is decidedly underwater. But subbing out Lillard for him would show Giannis Antetokounmpo that they aren't belly-flopping into a gap year without any purpose," Bleacher Report wrote. "Make no mistake, it would be a desperation move. If it's enough to buy more time with Giannis, though, it's worth the risk."

While the scenario is unlikely to fall the way Bleacher Report has proposed, the framework of the offseason could stand, should the Suns move in the direction of moving Durant and re-routing Beal and his no-trade clause.