The Suns’ offseason gets off to a cold start.
The Phoenix Suns had a disappointing end to the season but hope to restructure the roster for a better chance at the title next year. However, it appears the franchise is already facing an uphill battle with free agency yet to begin.
Reports indicate that Drew Eubanks, one of the key frontcourt pieces of the Suns, has declined his player option, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Phoenix’s backup center will now test free agency.
“Phoenix Suns center Drew Eubanks is declining his $2.6M player option and entering free agency, sources tell ESPN. After signing a one-plus-one deal with Suns, Eubanks averaged 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 75 games.”
At the very least that’s an extra $2.6 million the Suns will have for free agency. But that might not be enough for this franchise to build a roster that compliments Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. Additionally, this is just another hole for Phoenix to fill.
Drew Eubanks proved to be a solid backup center for the Suns, as he filled out the frontcourt with Jusuf Nurkic. Maybe Phoenix can find a suitable backup for next season. But only time will tell what the front office can pull off. Hopefully, this is a smooth offseason but the lack of draft capital and cap space suggests otherwise.
Suns 2024 offseason outlook
It’s not looking great for the Suns right now. Sure, they have a big three that will carry them through most of next season. However, the remainder of the roster is lacking. Teams need depth in the playoffs and that’s exactly what Phoenix is missing. On top of that, the team could seriously use a starting-caliber point guard.
Perhaps the front office can find the necessary players they need to fill out the roster through free agency. It’s a tough task though considering what they’re up against. We should expect the Suns to go after veteran players who can still contribute. But hopefully, those players would sign a minimal type of deal.
Another possibility to address the roster is via trade. It’s hard to imagine either Kevin Durant or Devin Booker being dealt away. However, maybe a deal could be made for Bradley Beal or Jusuf Nurkic. Combining those two in a trade package could be enough for the Suns to find the necessary depth they need to build around Durant and Booker.
The NBA Draft kicks off on Wednesday, June 26 at 8 P.M. Eastern. Meanwhile, free agency doesn’t begin until June 30.