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If the Phoenix Suns do not want to be a second-apron team again next season, they have more options than just trading Kevin Durant.
Durant may be on the way out this offseason, as The Arizona Republic Suns insider Duane Rankin reported that sources say Durant will be traded in "the coming days" as early as next week. If the Suns do this, they will cut into the luxury tax bill. Their bill was hefty this season, as they put together the most expensive roster in the NBA.
The Suns are one of the league's three second-apron teams (Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics). A recent report from NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line said that the Suns may be working hard not to be a second-apron team in the 2025-26 season.
"There has been a good bit of chatter this week about the Suns' willingness to explore trades involving Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale as part of the Durant discussions, sources say, to reduce their tax bill further," Fischer reported.
Allen is due to make $16.875 million in the 2025-26 season, and O'Neale is due to make $10.125 million in the 2025-26 season. Durant is due to make $54,708,609 in the 2025-26 season.
Phoenix needs to spend less than $207.825 million if it wants to dip under the second apron. They are set to spend $257,172,509 right now if they keep all three of these players (per Spotrac). They would spend $175,463,900 without these three contracts.
That number would also place them under the first apron threshold, which shows how much of a difference getting off these players' contracts would be from a financial standpoint. As long as they find their way under the second apron threshold, though, it would make a significant difference in terms of flexibility.
If the Suns are to get under the second apron threshold, they would then gain access to the taxpayer midlevel exception. They would also be allowed to trade first-round draft picks that are seven years down the line.
Plus, the Suns would then be able to use trade exceptions created while combining the salaries of two or more players. They would even be able to use trade exceptions from any past year. They would be enabled to send out cash in a trade as well.
Durant averaged 26.6 points per game in the 2024-25 season on 52.7/43/83.9 shooting splits, to go along with 1.2 blocks per game. Allen racked up 10.6 points per game on 44.8/42.6/81.6 shooting splits. O'Neale shot 40.6% from deep. The Suns will have to decide if these levels of production are too much to give up for roster-building flexibility.
With the Suns being above the second apron threshold, trades are more complicated than for the non-second-apron teams, and that is the intent of the second apron. The Suns are not new to trade talks in this fashion, however, as Fischer writes.
"After a winter of non-stop trade discussions with various teams, Phoenix is very familiar with the concept of trying to triangulate three-team (or larger) deals," Fischer wrote.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 2 players the Suns are reportedly willing to trade with Kevin Durant
Continue reading...
Durant may be on the way out this offseason, as The Arizona Republic Suns insider Duane Rankin reported that sources say Durant will be traded in "the coming days" as early as next week. If the Suns do this, they will cut into the luxury tax bill. Their bill was hefty this season, as they put together the most expensive roster in the NBA.
The Suns are one of the league's three second-apron teams (Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics). A recent report from NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line said that the Suns may be working hard not to be a second-apron team in the 2025-26 season.
"There has been a good bit of chatter this week about the Suns' willingness to explore trades involving Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale as part of the Durant discussions, sources say, to reduce their tax bill further," Fischer reported.
Allen is due to make $16.875 million in the 2025-26 season, and O'Neale is due to make $10.125 million in the 2025-26 season. Durant is due to make $54,708,609 in the 2025-26 season.
Phoenix needs to spend less than $207.825 million if it wants to dip under the second apron. They are set to spend $257,172,509 right now if they keep all three of these players (per Spotrac). They would spend $175,463,900 without these three contracts.
That number would also place them under the first apron threshold, which shows how much of a difference getting off these players' contracts would be from a financial standpoint. As long as they find their way under the second apron threshold, though, it would make a significant difference in terms of flexibility.
If the Suns are to get under the second apron threshold, they would then gain access to the taxpayer midlevel exception. They would also be allowed to trade first-round draft picks that are seven years down the line.
Plus, the Suns would then be able to use trade exceptions created while combining the salaries of two or more players. They would even be able to use trade exceptions from any past year. They would be enabled to send out cash in a trade as well.
Durant averaged 26.6 points per game in the 2024-25 season on 52.7/43/83.9 shooting splits, to go along with 1.2 blocks per game. Allen racked up 10.6 points per game on 44.8/42.6/81.6 shooting splits. O'Neale shot 40.6% from deep. The Suns will have to decide if these levels of production are too much to give up for roster-building flexibility.
With the Suns being above the second apron threshold, trades are more complicated than for the non-second-apron teams, and that is the intent of the second apron. The Suns are not new to trade talks in this fashion, however, as Fischer writes.
"After a winter of non-stop trade discussions with various teams, Phoenix is very familiar with the concept of trying to triangulate three-team (or larger) deals," Fischer wrote.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 2 players the Suns are reportedly willing to trade with Kevin Durant
Continue reading...
