2026 Offseason

[specialsauce]

Let's face it. The Suns loss in the first round wasn't because of coaching, and it wasn't because of injuries.

Oklahoma City is just light years ahead of them when it comes to talent and playoff experienced. They've been spending the last few years picking up players like Caruso and Hartenstein to plug holes in order to advance further in the playoffs, all while the Suns were flailing around looking too acquire star players. The Suns went as far as you could reasonably expect this year.

Plus, the Suns don't have anything close to a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Ya ok so then why even play the games. Give me a break. The performance was pathetic. The coaching display was awful. We went through the motions. We played guys that not only didn't help us even get remotely close to winning a game, but also are old and there is nothing for them to gain going into next year. Fleming, Man Man and Dunn are no better from this experience AND they could have helped us sneak out a win and make it interesting. Our coach didn't grow whatsoever through the series.

We would've been better off getting bounced by GS

We would have been better off beating Portland.

4 x playoff games + 2 x play-in games = great experience for the future. Even ass-kickings

Fleming Maluach and Dunn gained about as much playoff experience as the fans sitting courtside. They didn't play. They gained nothing out of it.

[Split T]

I would do Grayson for PJ…that’s a good trade and balances both rosters a bit

[virtual9mm]

Fleming Maluach and Dunn gained about as much playoff experience as the fans sitting courtside. They didn't play. They gained nothing out of it.

I wouldn't go that far. They were in the locker room after the losses and now understand something about the next level. Maluach, at least, got some decent minutes in.

[virtual9mm]

I would do Grayson for PJ…that’s a good trade and balances both rosters a bit

So would I. Fair value.

[specialsauce]

Fleming Maluach and Dunn gained about as much playoff experience as the fans sitting courtside. They didn't play. They gained nothing out of it.

I wouldn't go that far. They were in the locker room after the losses and now understand something about the next level. Maluach, at least, got some decent minutes in.

In the locker room after the losses? That's experience?

[virtual9mm]

Fleming Maluach and Dunn gained about as much playoff experience as the fans sitting courtside. They didn't play. They gained nothing out of it.

I wouldn't go that far. They were in the locker room after the losses and now understand something about the next level. Maluach, at least, got some decent minutes in.

In the locker room after the losses? That's experience?

I wouldn't underestimate this. That being said, would have been much better had they gotten some more burn.

Trust me, you are not more annoyed than I am that they didn't get more PT.

[Wally_West]

Idk why Denver would do it lol, but it would be great.

Gordon is brutally injuring prone so maybe that’s why?

Grayson and Royce works financially. Wouldn’t give up the kids.

[Wally_West]

Fleming Maluach and Dunn gained about as much playoff experience as the fans sitting courtside. They didn't play. They gained nothing out of it.

I wouldn't go that far. They were in the locker room after the losses and now understand something about the next level. Maluach, at least, got some decent minutes in.

In the locker room after the losses? That's experience?

I wouldn't underestimate this. That being said, would have been much better had they gotten some more burn.

Trust me, you are not more annoyed than I am that they didn't get more PT.

Agreed

[ShelC]

No to Gordon. Will be 31, is injury prone and won't move the needle enough. We can't age up the roster with a guy like him.

[Mori Chu]

Jalen Green for Aaron Gordon, call it in. I know Gordon has injury problems and is too old for us to use long-term but I figure that's decent value to get Green off the roster.

[Shabazz]

Hard pass on Gordon.

[Kryptonic]

Gonna be a looooooong summer.

[virtual9mm]

No players over 30 pls.

[Superbone]

Jalen Green for Aaron Gordon, call it in. I know Gordon has injury problems and is too old for us to use long-term but I figure that's decent value to get Green off the roster.

You don't trade youth for age no matter the need. At least not a six year difference and the older guy is hurt half the time.

[Split T]

Aaron Gordon is a lot better than Jalen Green…but he’s also best playing a more supercharged role player role like he does in Denver. We’d need him to be more of a star and I’m not sure he can do that.

[specialsauce]

No thanks.

Green for Jokic

[sunshoopjunky]

PHOENIX SUNS OFFSEASON PLAN: TWO TRADES + KEY SIGNINGS + DEFENSIVE IDENTITY + FUTURE SALARY OUTLOOK
This is the clean, realistic path for the Suns to build a complete, balanced, playoff‑ready roster around Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams, and the young core — without touching Rasheer Fleming and fully aligned with Ott’s gritty, defensive, no‑quit identity.

TRADE #1 — Suns get P.J. Washington (PF)
Phoenix receives:

P.J. Washington

Dallas receives:

Royce O’Neale

2027 2nd‑round pick

2029 2nd‑round pick

Why this works:
Dallas gets off multi‑year money, adds a playoff‑ready wing, and picks.
Phoenix fills the PF hole with a 27‑year‑old two‑way forward who fits perfectly next to Brooks + Williams.

TRADE #2 — Suns get Tre Jones (PG)
Phoenix receives:

Tre Jones

Cedi Osman (salary filler)

2026 2nd‑round pick

San Antonio receives:

Grayson Allen

Why this works:
Spurs need shooting around Wemby and have a guard logjam (Castle, Branham, Wesley).
Allen is a perfect Popovich player.
Tre Jones becomes expendable and gives Phoenix the steady, defensive, low‑mistake PG they’ve been missing.

SIGNING — Collin Gillespie (backup PG)
Phoenix signs Collin Gillespie to a veteran minimum deal.
He becomes the backup PG behind Tre Jones and gives the Suns a steady, low‑turnover second‑unit organizer.

MINIMUM‑CONTRACT PURSUITS — Backup Center Options
With Mark Williams’ health history, Phoenix needs a reliable backup center.
These are the realistic minimum signings the Suns can still make after the two trades:

Top Targets (best fits)
Goga Bitadze — elite rim protector, perfect behind Williams

Drew Eubanks — energy, screening, defense

Jock Landale — smart, tough, familiar with Phoenix

Other realistic minimum options
Mason Plumlee — veteran, steady

Mo Bamba — shot‑blocking upside

Bismack Biyombo — elite rim protection in short minutes

Any of these centers can give Phoenix 12–18 reliable minutes and cover games when Williams is out.

OTT CULTURE CHECK — DOG / GRIT / NO‑QUIT IDENTITY
Ott wants a roster built on:

Defense

Motor

Competitiveness

No ego

Grit

Toughness

Effort every possession

Here’s how every target fits that identity:

Tre Jones — PERFECT FIT
Elite POA defender, high motor, zero ego, plays hard every possession.

P.J. Washington — PERFECT FIT
Physical, switchable, tough, no‑flash, all‑work mentality.

Backup Centers
Bitadze, Eubanks, Landale, Plumlee, Biyombo — YES
Mo Bamba — NO (not an Ott‑style dog)

Collin Gillespie — YES
Steady, tough, disciplined, no‑ego guard.

Bottom line:
You’re not just adding talent —
you’re adding Ott‑culture players.

DEFENSIVE SYSTEM — THE STRUCTURE YOU CAN RUN EVERY NIGHT
This roster is built for a switch‑heavy, disciplined, modern defense with clear rules and identity.

1. Base Defense: Switch 1–4, Drop with Mark Williams
Tre fights over screens, Brooks/Dunn/P.J. switch, Williams anchors the paint.

2. Side Pick‑and‑Roll: ICE Everything
Force ball handlers away from screens and down the sideline.

3. When Williams Is Out: Switch 1–5
With P.J., Ighodaro, Fleming, or Maluach at the 5, you can switch everything.

4. Weak‑Side Rotation Rules
Low man tags the roller

X‑out on kickouts

Scram switch mismatches early

Dunn is the designated helper

Brooks takes the toughest matchup

Tre pressures 94 feet

This gives you a repeatable, disciplined defensive identity that fits Ott’s philosophy.

SALARY + FUTURE OUTLOOK
2026–27 Outlook
Booker, Brooks, P.J. Washington, Mark Williams, Jalen Green, Dunn, Maluach, Fleming all under contract

Tre Jones under contract

We still have multiple seconds

We avoid the second apron

We maintain trade flexibility for a future star move

Key Points
We replace O’Neale + Allen with Tre Jones + P.J. Washington and added a backup center and Gillespie for minimums

We keep your entire young core and our future pick a roster with identity + structure + toughness that is sustainable, competitive, defensive‑first team with room to grow.

FINAL ROSTER (15/15 — LEGAL)
Starters
PG — Tre Jones
SG — Devin Booker
SF — Dillon Brooks
PF — P.J. Washington
C — Mark Williams

Bench
Jalen Green
Ryan Dunn
Khaman Maluach
Oso Ighodaro
Backup Center (Bitadze / Eubanks / Landale)
Rasheer Fleming
Haywood Highsmith
Jordan Goodwin
Collin Gillespie
Cedi Osman

Maybe add one minimum shooter (Lonnie Walker, Sam Hauser, etc.)

[Ring_Wanted]

Let's face it. The Suns loss in the first round wasn't because of coaching, and it wasn't because of injuries.

Oklahoma City is just light years ahead of them when it comes to talent and playoff experienced. They've been spending the last few years picking up players like Caruso and Hartenstein to plug holes in order to advance further in the playoffs, all while the Suns were flailing around looking too acquire star players. The Suns went as far as you could reasonably expect this year.

Plus, the Suns don't have anything close to a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Yes, they did not lose just because of it. But Ott's coaching sure did not do us any favors (not for the sake of the actual series, nor for the long term). I get wanting to stick to the thing that made your success during the better part of the year, but I expect my coach to be able to adapt when the situation calls for it and, obviously, to be able to recognize when it is such the case. On this regard, the reality is that we were being mauled basically every game, every quarter, and we had the utmost need for size, length and athleticism. So regardless of Maluach and Fleming's lack of prior experience during the regular season (self imposed to a large degree btw), to me it is close to inexcusable that he essentially neglected them. I am willing to give Ott the room to grow from this series, but personally I am disappointed, not because OKC swept us, but because the franchise missed a big opportunity to extract value for the future out of this experience.

I just hate that this season has ended leaving such an ashy taste, particularly when it was so easy to end with a sweet note despite the sweep if you just play the rookies whose profiles cover your most glaring gaps. So now instead of an exclamation point I have a question mark going into the offseason.

[Wally_West]

You don’t trade Green for Gordon, you trade Grayson and Royce for Gordon. All of them are the same age so you are not aging up either.

[Ring_Wanted]

Some general thoughts, targets, etc. (not in order and under varying degrees of availability and price):

Stablished (mostly role) players: Tre Jones, Jalen Smith, PJ Washington, Beef Stew, Santi Aldama, Portis, Toppin, Davion Mitchell, Anthony Black,

Youngs under the radar, primed for more, or worthy of a flyer/reclamation project: Pickett, Risacher, Jarace Walker, Knetch, Missi, Beringer, Carter Bryant, Isaiah Collier, Devin Carter.

FAs attainable for ~MLE money and under (debatable in some cases): Ousmane Dieng, Ayo Dosumnu, Drummond, Oubre, Harrison Barnes, Keon Ellis, Hachimura, Dort.

Regarding our own, Gillespie and Goodwin are early Bird, so we can pay up to ~12.3M per on a four year contract to each. I'd put this on the table for Gillespie, but for Goodwin I'd feel more confortable at 10M per but, if pushed, retaining both under MLE is a win to me.

Williams, I really want to want him back but I just don't unless it is a pitance (miss me with that sunk-cost falacy). Our books are too stupid (stretching Beal will keep damaging us for a looong time) to afford such a health risk. If anyone offers a sign and trade (looking at your CHI), take it even if it is for a couple of 2ndR picks; if not, I'd explore very team-favorable scenarios with heavy health-related objectives but in no case over MLE money annually (if all fails, play for the QO).

Explore trade options for Jalen Green. Make Allen available (looking at you DET for Levert and that #21 pick). Actively look to move O'Neale even if it for a couple of seconds (need the rotation space for Fleming).

Finally, don't be afraid of listening for Maluach (looking at you NOP). I respect the potential and I am ok with having him but I also can see a big bust in the making no matter what some people say about his character, coachability, physical development, few years playing basketball, etc.