Phoenix Suns: 5 potential targets in 2019 NBA free agency
The Phoenix Suns desperately need to take a step forward next season. Here are five realistic targets in 2019 NBA free agency that make sense.
The Phoenix Suns enter the 2019 NBA free agency period with a burning need to improve next season, a restricted free agent to re-sign in Kelly Oubre Jr. and a glaring hole at the point guard position. What they lack, unfortunately, is the max cap space (or general appeal) to attract one of the summer’s star free agents.
This shouldn’t be a surprise. The Suns haven’t made the playoffs in nine years, they’ve been rebuilding with youth for almost half a decade and their front office has become one of the laughingstocks of the league. Even max money won’t attract stars to a desert where established talent has dried out.
However, Phoenix also showed signs of life down the stretch last season when everyone was healthy, looking like a legitimate NBA team with combo guard Tyler Johnson filling in at the 1 and Oubre helping change a losing culture. It was a small sample size, but it suggests a few positive vets on the roster could nudge this young group in the right direction.
After a befuddling draft night that brought Dario Saric, Aron Baynes and rookies Cameron Johnson and Ty Jerome on board, the Suns are looking at around $13.2 million in likely cap space, per HoopsHype (via the Arizona Republic). That number factors in Oubre’s $9.6 million cap hold after the team tendered him a qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent.
Heading into Sunday, general manager James Jones needs to put a more competent, veteran-laden group around his young core of Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges. This team has to take a step forward in 2019-20, lest it risk Booker being fed up with another losing season. That will require bringing in experience, complementary skill-sets and above all, talent.
The question is, with the Suns lacking max cap space but technically possessing the flexibility to get closer to that territory, which free agents should they realistically target to address the point guard position? Here’s a look at the five candidates that make the most sense.
Honorable Mentions: Tomas Satoransky, Delon Wright, Al-Farouq Aminu, Thaddeus Young, Nikola Mirotic, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson