With two lottery picks and a significant cap space, the Suns will have a part to play in the 2016 offseason, as they did in 2015.
Phoenix already has four players on cheap rookie scale contracts and could add another four with their 2016 NBA Draft picks and 2014 draftee Bogdan Bogdanovic. That low-cost foundation gives them money to spend on top of their three bigger contracts for Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight and Tyson Chandler. That flexibility means the Suns could be factors on the trading block as well as in free agency.
MORE: Top 23 free agents who might change teams this summer
Let’s take a look at their free agents, salary cap space and assets for this summer before breaking down what needs to be done.
Potential free agents: Mirza Teletovic (unrestricted), PJ Tucker (partially guaranteed), Jon Leuer (unrestricted), Ronnie Price (unrestricted), Alan Williams (non-guaranteed), John Jenkins (non-guaranteed) and Chase Budinger (unrestricted).
Likely cap space: $30.6 million.
Realistic maximum cap space (using $94.4 million estimate): $34.4 million
2016 NBA Draft assets: No. 4, No. 13 (from the Wizards), No. 28 (from the Cavaliers) and No. 34.
MORE: SN's latest NBA Mock Draft: Lots of rising and falling
As disastrous as the 2015-16 season turned out to be, the Suns have some quality pieces at the heart of their franchise. Bledsoe was playing at an All-Star level before his knee injury, but rookie shooter Devin Booker flourished in his absence. Phoenix also has two lottery picks (Nos. 4 and 13) and young talents like Knight and T.J. Warren under team control until at least 2020.
Even with seriously intriguing players at their disposal, the Suns face dual challenges in this offseason: assessing whom they want to build around long-term and how to handle players that do not fit that vision. Bledsoe, Booker and Knight could end up serving as an unusual but potent three-headed backcourt where two of them play at a time, but they carve up nearly all of the 96 guard minutes. If Bledsoe’s health seems secure, Knight could make for a valuable trading piece.
In the frontcourt, youngsters Warren and Alex Len are likely rotation pieces not that far away from being off their bargain rookie scale contracts. Len will be eligible for an extension this summer that would kick in for the 2017-18 season. Chandler, 34, disappointed in his first year on the Suns, but his remaining three years and $39 million could be worthwhile for a team that thinks it is one defensive-minded veteran big man away from a championship.
MORE: The time the Suns' owner blamed millennial culture
Since teams are universally optimistic about using cap space at the beginning of the offseason, expect any Chandler trade to come later in the process, once the biggest players (and glut of younger centers) have made their decisions. Three more seasons will be a burden but someone could be desperate enough to add him then or during the season.
Phoenix’s biggest needs come at the forward spots. Tucker has a reasonable and partially guaranteed contract, and Warren should fit in somewhere but other than that the minutes are wide open. The Suns should select the best player available with their draft picks, but presumably at least one of the lottery selections will be a forward.
Considering their youth and relatively modest cap space, going after restricted free agents makes sense because they fit in much better with the team’s time frame. Adding some athleticism in the form of Maurice Harkless, Harrison Barnes or Terrence Jones (all 24 or younger) would open up the team’s transition scoring and hopefully provide a stronger defensive foundation. Phoenix would also be a great destination for whoever gets left behind in the market and wants a one-year “make good” contract since the Suns will presumably have minutes for them.
MORE: Greatest players in Suns history
One player who lingers at the edges of Phoenix’s planning is Archie Goodwin. The 21-year-old has shown flashes of quality play over his three seasons but not enough to secure a reliable place in the team’s rotation. Like Len, Goodwin will be eligible for an extension this summer, but it seems difficult to imagine the two sides to settling on a new contract. Even then, his presence could change how aggressively the Suns consider adding another shooting guard with a high pick or space.
The Suns also have a fascinating negotiation with 2014 draftee Bogdan Bogdanovic. Like Sixers overseas stash Dario Saric, Bogdanovic is just one year away from not having to be constrained by a rookie scale contract, so it may be harder to bring him over. If they can pull it off, the Sebian pro would be a huge addition to their swingman rotation as a player who has averaged double-digit points in strong European leagues for the past four seasons and played a big role on Serbia’s silver-medalist 2014 FIBA World Championship.
MORE: 23 most hated players in NBA history
By spending responsibly this summer, the Suns could put themselves in great position for 2017. They could have around $45-50 million in cap space even without moving on from any of their existing commitments. What’s more, none of their best players would even be free agents in 2018, so they could spend more aggressively without having to face an immediate luxury tax burden. Committing this summer to the right players would certainly be worth it, but forcing the issue like they did with Chandler last summer could hamstring them in a time with greater potential.