Suns Urged to Trade Another Star to Rockets

The Phoenix Suns have a lot riding on these next few seasons of Devin Booker's prime, but have limited assets to continue to build their team.

Phoenix has no control over its first-round draft picks through 2032, so the Suns are really banking on the new iteration of the team to be the future.

Suns Future Draft Picks Hold A Lot of Value

Because of the position the Suns are in coming off a 36-46 season and getting rid of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal this offseason, Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes ranked the Suns' 2027 and 2029 first-round picks, which are currently owned by the Houston Rockets, as the second-most valuable trade chips in the NBA.

He added:

"The Phoenix Suns are on a rocket ship to nowhere after spending two years experimenting with the worst possible asset and roster management under the new CBA. They're bereft of future picks, can't surround Devin Booker with win-now talent and are one of the most capriciously run organizations in the league ever since Mat Ishbia took over as the owner.

"If you're shorting one NBA team's future, it should probably be the Suns'."

After the Suns already traded Kevin Durant to the Rockets this summer, the two teams are in almost opposite situations for the future, as Hughes pointed out:

"The Houston Rockets are in a very different position than Phoenix is, and they could use these future picks to serve their more immediate plans for contention.

"Houston already pried Kevin Durant away from the Suns but didn't have to surrender either of these selections in the process. That means the Rockets can use them to chase another veteran star if they wants to."

Another Suns-Rockets Blockbuster Trade?

Hughes feels the best landing spot for these picks would be to trade them back to the Suns.

He proposed the following trade and wrote:

"Trade idea: Houston Rockets acquire Devin Booker from the Phoenix Suns for Fred VanVleet, Reed Sheppard, Steven Adams, Jeff Green, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick

"Devin Booker can't be traded until January, and it'd be admittedly weird if the Suns and Rockets transacted again so soon after the Durant deal. But there's just no other logical destination for this pair of future first-rounders. That also helps overcome the reality that Booker has never shown a willingness to leave the Suns.

"The Suns need these picks back. Otherwise, the non-playoff seasons ahead won't feature the typical payoff: high lottery position. The key to ensuring Phoenix's fallow period lasts only a couple of seasons is regaining control of those 2027 and 2029 selections. Otherwise, the dark days could stretch well into the 2030s.

"Oh, and if this feels like the player package accompanying these valuable picks is a little underwhelming, remember that Booker's massive extension might not actually be that great of a value from Houston's perspective. He's on the books through 2029-30 (player option), when he'll earn $69.2 million in his age-34 season."

This would certainly be an interesting decision, especially with the Suns already dealing Durant to the Rockets.

Phoenix has committed to Booker long term, and he has done so as well, but the Suns have a lot of work to do to try to figure out how to build the best team around him with such little capital.

If the Suns cannot find a solution in the coming years and continue to struggle, there could be some difficult conversations to be had with Booker.

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