Why Suns Should Not Pursue NBA Champion Forward via Trade
· Yahoo Sports
Free agency is just over one week (June 30) from being fully realized for the Phoenix Suns, who are seeking to build off of a 45-37 campaign that very few saw coming heading into a new era under head coach Jordan Ott.
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The top priority from within the organization will clearly be built around retaining guards Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin, while holding onto C Mark Williams is a possibility as well. There are multiple players on the outside that would have the ability to raise the franchise's 2026-27 ceiling - even through the predication on continuity, but GM Brian Gregory must be heedful to avoid mistakes of the past.
Two players that have been frequently linked to the Suns over the year are either imminently hitting the open market (Rui Hachimura) or are slated to be part of potential trade discussions in the weeks to come (Jonathan Kuminga) - both raise the question if they are worth investing in over multiple seasons.
Kuminga - who recently joined the Atlanta Hawks - possesses talent has never been a question, and the former top-10 pick has plenty of time to advance his game as well, as he will turn 24 years old shortly prior to the start of the upcoming season. The Suns would be placed in a sticky predicament if they were to acquire Kuminga, however, as he would account for over $24 million on the cap sheet, while he will also be eligible for free agency after the campaign to come. It's difficult to justify moving pieces with positive value to land a high-priced player that is potentially just a rental.
The notion that makes it even harder to justify is the rapid ascension of 2025 second-round pick Rasheer Fleming, who will very likely need a spot in the starting lineup in order to maximize his development heading into year two. Fleming boasts a similar athletic profile, is roughly the same level as Kuminga when it comes to floor-spacing, and is already one of the more intimidating wing defenders in the lane across the NBA.
Hachimura makes much more sense at the surface, as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent after what happened to be the best string of play from the 28 year old's career. The Gonzaga alum would be comfortable with a bench role and would make it easier to unload a veteran such as Royce O'Neale in return.
While O'Neale and other vets are well liked within the organization, foresight is the paramount quality that winning front offices have, and potentially welcoming a player on the right side of 30 that is playing exceptional basketball is a conversation that is absolutely worth kicking the tires on.
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Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X @khicks_21.