Led by the trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, the Phoenix Suns are a serious contender to win it all this year. With a 37-26 record, the Suns currently own the No. 6 seed in a loaded Western Conference. And despite the team’s incredible star power, Phoenix has an impressive supporting cast around them. So much so that Suns owner Mat Ishbia has already publicly expressed his desire to re-sign two key role players–Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale:
“… Grayson and Royce are two great guys. Royce is new to the organization, has done an amazing job, everything you can think of, and Grayson has been here all year and has been a phenomenal part of the team and the organization. We hope and expect to have both of those guys back, along with keeping this core team together because we love our team and we’re going to compete at the highest level and hopefully in the playoffs very soon, we can see them all play together.”
Allen and O’Neale are both set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer.
Phoenix Suns Hope to Re-Sign Pair of Pending Free Agents
Grayson Allen
Allen joined the Suns this past offseason as part of the monster three-team trade that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. In his first season with the Suns, Allen is having the best year of his career. In 57 games played, all starts, Allen is averaging 13.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists over 33.5 minutes per game. Furthermore, the Duke alum is shooting 49.7% from the field and a league-leading 47.5% from the three-point line. All of these numbers are career bests for the 28-year-old.
Grayson Allen set a Suns franchise record with 7 THREES in the 1st quarter 🤯 pic.twitter.com/CkfmdpSVFT
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 8, 2024
About a month ago, Suns GM James Jones talked about wanting to keep Allen around for the long haul:
Asked James Jones about Grayson Allen and a potential extension. He first joked, “You’re asking me to project 5 months from now?” Then: “We don’t want him to go anywhere, which is why he’s here. There’s plenty of interest in Grayson Allen, but no one values him more than we do”
Royce O’Neale
The Suns acquired O’Neale from the Brooklyn Nets at the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline. In 11 games with the Suns so far, O’Neale is averaging 10 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. Additionally, O’Neale is a stellar defender who provides versatility and hustle on that side of the ball. O’Neale was one of the more coveted players at this year’s Trade Deadline, and it’s easy to see why. The way he can make his presence felt and impact the game is valuable for any team in the title picture.
The Last Word on the Phoenix Suns Free Agents
The Suns are a great team that could win their first title in franchise history this season. Despite being a great team, however, they have legitimate competition in the Western Conference alone. Re-signing Allen and O’Neale should be a priority for the Suns this offseason. Both players have played exceptionally well in their roles, and bringing them back will help solidify the team’s depth.
