Following Phoenix’s elimination from the playoffs in the first round by Minnesota, changes were anticipated. The first move was to let go of Frank Vogel as coach and hire Mike Budenholzer as his replacement. It was reported by John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM that the Suns are looking to find a pure point guard to lead the team on the court. The goal is to have a point guard who can play at least 20 minutes per game, which aligns with Budenholzer’s statements at his introductory press conference about the team’s need for a point guard.
The Suns also have their sights set on adding an athletic wing and a backup center, according to the report. However, their already bloated roster payroll, which is above the second apron, presents challenges for them in terms of making moves due to salary cap restrictions. Key players like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal take up a significant portion of the salary cap, leaving Phoenix with limited funds available to acquire additional players.
Given their financial constraints, it is likely that the Suns will be forced to sign free agents willing to play for the league minimum during the offseason. Kyle Lowry is rumored to be their top target, while Kris Dunn has also been mentioned as a possible option. Trading could also be an avenue they explore; however, they are limited in their ability to aggregate players in a trade due to being over the second apron and cannot add salary in a trade either.
Despite these obstacles, it appears that Phoenix remains committed to making improvements and changes necessary for them to be competitive in next season’s playoffs.
