Phoenix Suns named offseason winners by The Ringer
Jul 12, 2023, 8:59 PM | Updated: Jul 13, 2023, 12:01 pm
New Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal, middle, is flanked by Suns president of basketball operations and general manager James Jones and had coach Frank Vogel, right, as Beal holds up a new Suns jersey during an NBA basketball news conference Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Phoenix Suns are receiving glowing reviews for their move this offseason. Sort of.
The Ringer’s staff named the Suns as a “Winner, with Caveats” in their story regarding the winners and losers of free agency.
Writer Rob Mahoney describes Phoenix as committing themselves to a “high-wire act” thanks to their commitment to Bradley Beal. Not only does the former Washington Wizard come with an injury history (150 games played over the past three years), but a hefty price tag ($46.7 million).
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Between Beal, Kevin Durant (who the team traded for in 2023), Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, the team has $163 million committed between the four players.
The Ringer also compliments all Phoenix’s free-agent moves with only the minimum salary to offer. The team was able to bring back Josh Okogie and Damion Lee; while adding Eric Gordon, Drew Eubanks, Yuta Watanabe, Keita Bates-Diop and Chimezie Metu.
All that, and the team’s still in on Bol Bol. Write Mahoney:
You can find flaws with any of those players individually, but they’re a pretty complete set, and the Suns did about as well with their bargain-bin dive as they could’ve possibly expected.
Among the other winners were the Los Angeles, the Dallas Mavericks (winner until Kyrie Irving gets bored), the gems of the 2020 NBA Draft Class, the Indiana Pacers, the Sacramento Kings, the Milwaukee Bucks and (for now) the second apron. The losers were the Toronto Raptors, the Denver Nuggets, teams with cap space, Golden State Warriors and trade demands.
