In an audacious three-team shuffle, the Phoenix Suns have orchestrated a remarkable influx of talent, securing the prowess of Royce O’Neale from the bustling boroughs of Brooklyn and snaring the potential of Memphis Grizzlies’ young gun David Roddy. The Suns, in their relentless pursuit of excellence, unfurled their strategy announcing the infusion of these key players alongside three crucial second-round picks while striking a balance with matching salaries.
The exchange sees the departure of Keita Bates-Diop, Chimezie Metu, Yuta Watanabe, and Jordan Goodwin from the Suns’ ranks. This moves Bates-Diop, Goodwin, and the coveted trio of second-round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets, while Metu and Watanabe, together with the swap rights on a future first-round pick for 2026, will now ply their trade with the Grizzlies.
While the Suns have held fast to their 2028 second-round pick, formerly in the Celtics’ hoard, this trade has inflated Phoenix’s salary commitments and luxury tax payments by a hefty sum surpassing $20 million. Notably, the Suns now face the imperative of signing yet another player, ensuring their roster meets the NBA’s requirement of a 14-strong player lineup.
At 30 years of age, Royce O’Neale brings to the Suns a veteran’s savvy and stability on the wing, wielding a defensive tenacity that can alleviate the load from luminaries such as Kevin Durant, paired with a shooting threat that demands the wary eye of any opponent. In his tenure with the Nets this season, he’s notched up 7.4 points, pulled down 4.5 rebounds, and delivered 2.8 assists over 24.5 minutes per game. Despite shooting at a modest 39% overall, his sharpshooting from beyond the arc stands at an impressive 37% on 5.4 attempts per match.
O’Neale’s proficiency and experience are galvanized by his previous stretch with the Utah Jazz from 2017-2022, where he was a regular fixture in the starting lineup in 289 of his 495 career NBA games, bringing the gravitas of 44 playoff encounters to Phoenix’s quest for glory.
O’Neale’s contract, amassing $9.5 million in its final year, arrives in Phoenix with his Bird rights, affording the cap-crunched Suns the option to extend his stay regardless of cost post-season, as he steps into the courtyard of free agency with the caveat of a hefty luxury tax.
David Roddy, the imposing 22-year-old wing standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 255 pounds, comes off a rookie campaign averaging 8.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists across 23.2 minutes per game. Despite shooting a humble 40% from the field and 30% from the deep, the 23rd pick of the 2022 NBA Draft remains under the Suns’ ambit for the coming season, with a team option extending through 2025-26, signifying a strategic economic gamble for the Suns under the looming shadow of tax limitations.
The Suns, laser-focused on fortifying their wing position following the solidification of a core triumvirate—Booker, Durant, and Bradley Beal—have previously acquired the likes of Little and Grayson Allen in a move that bid farewell to Deandre Ayton, while welcoming Jusuf Nurkic as their new pivot. The free agency saw them reel in Bates-Diop, sharpshooter Watanabe, and the sizable Metu along with the re-signing of Josh Okogie; all contenders for solidifying their perimeter defense, yet falling short of cementing a consistent presence.
O’Neale, therefore, is poised to burgeon as the go-to wing, anchoring the rotation and shifting the dynamics in the team hierarchy.
Josh Okogie has dipped his toes in this role, but the fluctuating nature of his play, particularly when scoring from distance, has tempered his usage in Phoenix’s scheme of tactics. Roddy’s collegiate accolades as a burly scoring wing at Colorado State are yet to be unfurled in full splendor within the NBA; however, with team control over his rookie contract, the Suns have placed a calculated bet under the tightening grip of tax considerations.
