Phoenix Suns’ projected salary cap space for 2016 free agency
Apr 18, 2016, 6:39 PM | Updated: 6:42 pm
Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough answers a question during an NBA basketball media day Monday, Sept. 28, 2015, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Like many teams in the NBA, the Phoenix Suns are going to have a lot of cap space this summer.
The Suns have seven guaranteed contracts on the books for the 2016-17 season that along with the last year of Michael Beasley’s stretched contract, total to $50,291,480.
That gives the Suns a possible $41,708,520 in salary cap space.
The number would have to include the Suns letting go of the last year of P.J. Tucker’s $5.3 million non-guaranteed deal, the last two years of John Jenkins’ $1.05 million per year non-guaranteed deal and the last year of Alan Williams’ $874,636 non-guaranteed deal.
Even if Tucker, Jenkins and Williams were to all stick around, Phoenix would still have $34,482,923 in cap space.
If the Suns hold their current draft position and keep all three of their first-round picks (No. 4, No. 13 and No. 28), their cap space number would be at $28,093,423.
The Suns’ unrestricted free agents are Mirza Teletovic, Jon Leuer, Ronnie Price and Chase Budinger.
There are some big names in unrestricted free agency, such as Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant, Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford, Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade, Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley and Miami center Hassan Whiteside.
The top restricted free agents include Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond, Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal, Golden State Warriors small forward Harrison Barnes and Los Angeles Lakers point guard Jordan Clarkson.
Several top free agents have player options, including Cleveland Cavailers small forward LeBron James, Toronto Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls power forward Pau Gasol and Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard.
Many experts are predicting for several of the biggest free agents to take a one-year deal with the salary cap jumping from $92 million this season to a projected $107 million in 2017 so they can sign max deals for much more money.
A projected drop-off a year ago for the following years now has the salary cap climbing as high as $112 million in 2020.
If the Suns were to keep all their players and draft picks, they would only need to make minor transactions in order to offer the highest max contract available.
Reminder: Here are estimated NBA max contacts under the reported $92M cap for 2016-17. pic.twitter.com/TnHAJGj9MW
— Jacob L. Rosen (@JacobLRosen) April 15, 2016
Alex Len and Archie Goodwin will be restricted free agents in the summer of 2017 and T.J. Warren and Devin Booker will have their new contracts coming in the next two summers after that, respectively.
