Examining Suns' Salary Cap, Decisions for 2024 NBA Free Agency After Wolves Loss
The moment the Phoenix Suns acquired Bradley Beal, they embraced a championship-or-bust mentality in 2023-24.
And, well, they busted.
Phoenix earned the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference but failed to win a game in the first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. So, for the first time in four years, the Suns didn't advance in the postseason.
The ugly truth? This offseason will be an incredible challenge, too.
Phoenix doesn't have much flexibility to make changes—well, not unless the Suns are willing to trade a star.
Salary Cap
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Phoenix has successfully chased stars in recent years, acquiring both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in trades.
The result is a very clogged cap sheet.
Between KD, Beal and Devin Booker—whose supermax extension kicks in next season—the Suns have $150.7 million committed to their leading quartet. The projected salary cap, by the way, is $141 million.
In short: Phoenix, as constructed, has zero chance of staying below the $172 million luxury tax and would need gold medal-level gymnastics to dodge the $190 million second apron.
Dramatic moves can alter this outlook, and we'll cover that shortly. For now, the Suns are limited to minimum offers in free agency.
Top Contract Decisions
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As the regular season ended, the Suns signed Grayson Allen to a four-year extension before he could hit unrestricted free agency. That means Jusuf Nurkic, Allen, Nassir Little and David Roddy are the only players under contract behind Durant, Booker and Beal.
Everyone else is either a free agent or can become one.
Royce O'Neale played well after Phoenix added him at the trade deadline, although he had a quiet postseason. Nevertheless, his three-and-D skill set is a terrific match for this roster.
Additionally, four others—Eric Gordon, Josh Okogie, Drew Eubanks and Damion Lee—hold player options. While the Suns should be thrilled if any of them return on a low-cost salary (none higher than Gordon's $3.4 million), they could hit the open market instead.
The uncomfortable topic is whether the franchise should try to trade Bradley Beal after yet another injury-plagued season—or even entertain the thought of trading Kevin Durant.
Beal still has a no-trade clause, and KD remains an elite player. But the Suns, given the financial constraints, must at least ask the question.
Free Agents to Pursue
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Short of an unexpected, head-turning trade involving Beal or Durant, the Suns—for the second offseason in a row—can only extend a minimum contract to free agents.
Who wants to chase a ring?
Perhaps the Suns could entice Robert Covington, who has dealt with injuries lately but would be a nice three-and-D wing. Covington (or a player like him) will be a higher priority if O'Neale leaves in free agency.
Otherwise, more depth at guard is a must-have.
Kyle Lowry just turned 38 years old with career earnings near $275 million, so he may prioritize a shot at a championship over a big payday in free agency.
The bad news about Killian Hayes is he's been a terrible shooter in four seasons with the Detroit Pistons. However, he's averaged 5.2 assists and played fine defensively, and adding a facilitator around Booker, Beal and KD is a sensible choice.
Justin Holiday, a journeyman guard, may as well add a 10th uniform to his collection, right? In seriousness, he'd be a low-cost reserve who provides a reliable long-range impact.
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