The Phoenix Suns crashed out of the NBA playoffs on Thursday night with a 125-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets. After reaching the NBA Finals in 2021, the Suns have bowed out in the second round the past two seasons. However, it was supposed to be different this year, with the Suns going all-in to acquire Kevin Durant.
Now the team is faced with an offseason of tough decisions and bloated contracts. However, according to industry sources, the Suns are already making plans to try and recoup some of what they gave up to unsuccessfully win-now in 2023.
CP3 And Ayton Likely Gone From Suns
The Suns have multiple problems that need addressing. As much as they would likely love to build around Devon Booker, that's harder than it sounds. The Suns are in a bad place cap-wise and are set to be screwed yet further if they can't move players quickly. The first domino is Chris Paul. Paul has been with the Clippers since a November 2020 trade. However, Paul is 38 and will be owed $30 million in June. According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, the Suns are likely to "aggressively shop" Paul in hopes of moving him before that June pay hike.
Then there's DeAndre Ayton. While the 25-year-old center is another piece the Suns would love to build around, he is also the most appealing trade asset on the roster. He's young, extremely talented, and on a team-friendly contract. If the Suns want to move on from Paul, they might have to throw Ayton in as well. The upside is that a deal of that magnitude could some much-needed draft capital back to Phoenix. The Nets own most of the Suns' future draft picks currently. However, it remains to be seen exactly what the Suns will do next as they contemplate their future. What do you think the Suns should do? Let us know in the comments.
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