The NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement was designed in order to make teams be more careful with their money, especially with the new TV deal that is on the horizon. Some teams have been able to navigate through the changes, while others have struggled. The Phoenix Suns are the poster child for that struggle.
Being a second-apron team in today’s NBA is the death penalty unless you have a young core of players locked in for the next three to four seasons. Being in the second apron limits teams' ability to make trades and upgrade their roster due to the restrictions. That is what Phoenix has gone through.
The Phoenix Suns have completely mismanaged their roster under the new CBA
A short time ago, the Suns were considered a team on the rise. They had just reached the NBA Finals, had Devin Booker entering the prime of his career, and had a good supporting cast of players around him. Then, they decided to pair him with Durant, which was a great offensive fit, but they needed to surround their duo with high-level defenders and shooters.
Instead, Suns owner Mat Ishbia traded the rest of the team’s assets for Bradley Beal, and that move has failed on a massive scale. Beal was never projected as a good fit to begin with as a ball-dominant scorer who lacks defensive ability.
Because of his shortcomings, Beal was moved to the bench earlier in the season, and when Phoenix tried to trade him at the deadline, he resisted because of the no-trade clause in his contract. Now, the Suns are stuck with him for the next two seasons, as he has a $57 million dollar player option for 2026-27 that he will almost assuredly pick up.
As a result of being a second-apron team, the only way the Suns have out of their restrictions is trading Durant in the offseason. They were already close to doing that at the deadline, but with the team now fading fast in the West and fighting for a play-in spot, Durant being gone has never looked more likely.
Phoenix’s mismanagement of resources is what put them here. Not only will it cost them Durant, but it could cost them Booker if they don’t turn it around soon. The NBA is a result-driven business, and when stars don’t see positive results, they find a way out.