The Phoenix Suns are in a race against time. While trading for Kevin Durant isn't exactly a move the Suns front office is going to regret anytime soon, it has put them at a position of urgency. They need to win now, especially when the Brooklyn Nets basically own their draft pick cupboard for the near future.
The Suns roster as presently constructed isn't good enough yet to win a championship. This was especially apparent during the Suns' meltdown against the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Thus, many believe that the Suns' are most likely this offseason to trade away Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. Their salaries can bring back players that would impact their championship hopes for the better.
It's evident that one of the factors that undid the Suns during their playoff run was their lack of depth. Former head coach Monty Williams clearly did not trust his bench to begin the playoffs. He had good reason, as they began their postseason run firing blanks and relinquishing leads.
Against the Nuggets, Williams stumbled upon a combination that worked. Playing faster allowed Kevin Durant and Devin Booker to flourish in Games 3 and 4 of that series. But Durant and Booker's immense workload during the postseason due to lack of depth eventually caught up to them. By their season-ending Game 6 defeat, they were running on fumes.
It's clear what the Suns front office needs to rectify this offseason. However, due to the new rules in the new collective bargaining agreement, doing so via free agency may prove difficult. Nonetheless, their 2023 playoff failure behooves them to at least try to make a run at these players, especially if they trade away Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.
Here are three targets in free agency that the Suns should set their sights towards this offseason.
Gabe Vincent
Gabe Vincent, the Miami Heat's starting point guard, will surely make bank this offseason. Vincent has been consistent as a three-and-D option at point guard alongside Jimmy Butler. And he's coming off a 29-point outing to help put the Boston Celtics on the brink of elimination in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Vincent's experience playing alongside a ball-dominant wing would make him an ideal fit for teams built around those kinds of players. And the Suns are. Both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant love to commandeer the offense. And it definitely looks like getting the ball in their hands is the best use of resources. What they need alongside them is a point guard who does all the little things and can make plays both for himself and others, taking advantage of the space his star teammates create. Vincent fits that description to a T.
If the Suns do end up trading away Chris Paul, Cameron Payne isn't a bad option at the point. Payne was the only one to show up during the Suns' embarrassing Game 6 defeat to the Nuggets after all. But since the Suns need depth, acquiring Gabe Vincent to be their starting point guard, keeping Payne at his ideal role as a backup point guard, may be the shrewd move.
Of course, this will depend on how much Vincent would command in free agency. After this stellar postseason run, he could end up with an asking price of upwards of $10 million, which would take the Suns out of the running given their cap situation. However, Vincent doesn't exactly have the longest track record of success, so teams may be wary of doling out an expensive contract, so by then, perhaps the Suns can lure him away.
Naz Reid
One issue Suns fans have towards Deandre Ayton is his apparent lack of motor. Ayton has shown strong efforts in crashing the glass in the past, but oftentimes he's looked lethargic, allowing the opposing team to dominate the boards and the paint.
Naz Reid will have no such issues. The Minnesota Timberwolves' decision to add Rudy Gobert cast some doubt regarding Reid's role in the rotation. However, Reid showed in a limited role that he can impact the game on multiple levels. His ballhandling and shooting make him a mismatch problem for plodding big men. And his effort levels on the glass never wane.
Reid should draw considerable attention in free agency, so the Suns, much like with Gabe Vincent, may have difficulties acquiring his services. But if they decide to deal away Ayton, they could do a whole lot worse in filling their need at the center position than signing the unheralded Timberwolves center despite his injury.
Jalen McDaniels
The Suns, prior to trading for Kevin Durant, were rumored to be on the lookout for a two-way wing on the market. Jalen McDaniels, a player who impressed with the Charlotte Hornets, was one of the players they targeted. Instead, it was the Philadelphia 76ers that traded for him.
It may not have been the most fruitful end to the season for McDaniels, as he found himself outside the Sixers rotation amid their meltdown against the Boston Celtics, but he's only 25 years old. Perhaps playing alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker would do wonders for the 6-foot-9 forward, as he could very well emerge as one of the more useful three-and-D wings in the NBA under the right system.
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