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The Phoenix Suns pushed to get a Kevin Durant trade done before the NBA Draft and got the highest draft pick they could at No. 10 overall as part of the deal, along with former No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green, defensive stopper Dillon Brooks, and five second-round picks.
When Green originally signed his three-year, $105.33 million contract with Houston, rival NBA executives pegged it as a candidate to be moved. Green is owed $69.33 million guaranteed through the 2026-27 season and has a $36 million player option for the 2027-28 season.
While Green has shown the ability to be a consistent 20-point per game scorer through his first four seasons, there’s still upside for more development for the 23-year-old guard.
As previously reported on HoopsHype, Phoenix did background on Green before acquiring him to gauge his value around the league in case it would be worthwhile for the Suns to flip him again via trade.
On Sunday, John Gambadoro – who’s been thoroughly on top of Suns news – reported Phoenix intends to keep Green.
Brooks, who’s considered a culture builder and a 3-and-D swingman, is owed $43.12 million combined through the 2026-27 season. His toughness and defensive intangibles were characteristics sought by new general manager Brian Gregory.
The Suns aggressively targeted starting center upgrades during Durant talks, including trying to pry Rudy Gobert, Jakob Poeltl, and Kel’el Ware and could continue to look to upgrade at the position.
Suns center Nick Richards, who has a $5 million non-guaranteed salary for the 2025-26 season, is expected to have his salary guaranteed by the Suns, league sources told HoopsHype. Richards started 34 of 36 games for Phoenix last season and averaged 9.5 points on 60.5 percent shooting from the field with 8.6 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per game.
Keep an eye on the Suns moving on from Vasilije Micic and Cody Martin to get below the second apron.
Phoenix is expected to decline the $8.11 million team option on Micic, barring a trade that would necessitate his salary being included, league sources told HoopsHype. The two-time EuroLeague champion and former EuroLeague MVP is expected to command significantly lucrative offers overseas.
Martin, whose $8.68 million salary for the 2025-26 season is non-guaranteed, is in a similar boat as Micic. Martin is a candidate to be waived unless his salary is included in a trade.
Phoenix has also gauged the trade market on swingmen Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen, league sources told HoopsHype.
O’Neale averaged 9.1 points and shot 40.6 percent from 3-point range in 75 games for Phoenix last season and is owed a combined $32.63 million over the next three seasons.
Allen averaged 10.6 points on 42.6 percent from 3-point range in 64 games, is owed $35 million for the next two seasons, and has a $19.38 million player option for the 2027-28 season.