Grading the 2019 NBA offseason for all 30 franchises
Phoenix Suns
Questioning the actions of the Phoenix Suns has become somewhat of a yearly tradition among NBA circles, with this summer being no different.
It wasn’t a quiet summer down in the desert, but sometimes that’s not always a good thing, especially for an organization with this consistent level of ineptitude.
The chaos began with the firing of head coach Igor Kokoškov after just one season in favor of Monty Williams.
Despite his high-standing around the league, Williams isn’t a stark upgrade from the previous regime and only adds to the instability in Phoenix as the fifth head coach in as many seasons.
The Suns were active on draft-day but for all the wrong reasons. They traded T.J. Warren for essentially cap relief, even though the 18.0 point per game scorer was on a manageable three-year, $33 million deal that required giving away a second-round pick.
Later, James Jones traded his sixth pick to Minnesota for the 11th and Dario Saric. A soon to be restricted free agent, the Suns will have to pony up a fat contract to keep him around, one that will no doubt exceed that of Warren’s despite their comparable levels of talent.
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At 11th overall, Phoenix went with Cameron Johnson, a sharp-shooting forward already older than Devin Booker. Most analysts had the former Tar Heel no earlier than the 20s.
For the Suns to seemingly overreach to nab their guy rather than trading down even further is another example of their laughable incompetence.
Signing Ricky Rubio to a three-year, $51 million deal was an overpay, but a necessary one to fill a starting position that’s been dormant for the last few years.
Even at just two years and $10 million, however, Frank Kaminsky was a deal Phoenix could’ve avoided given the bargain contracts handed out to his positional contemporaries.
This is a team with incredible potential in the form of Booker, Deandre Ayton and the re-signed Kelley Oubre Jr. Props to the front office for being active in trying to better a 19-win team with players who can contribute.
It’s the context of all their decisions that leaves people scratching their heads, and it’s going to continue to cost them amid their rebuild.
Grade: C