The Phoenix Suns are looking more and more like a team with very few clean answers, and that’s what made Bill Simmons’ latest trade idea hit so hard. On his podcast on The Ringer, Simmons floated a straight-up swap of Devin Booker for Bam Adebayo, and he argued both sides could come out ahead.
Simmons laid it out plainly: "I know Booker's contract is appalling and just gets worse; is there something there with Booker and Bam? That is really a classic good trade for both teams... are both teams better if you make a trade like that? I would argue yes."
It’s the kind of scenario Simmons is known for throwing out, but the timing says plenty about where the Suns are right now. They’ve come out of the gate looking nothing like the team that crashed the postseason party last season, and rumors of locker room unrest tied to their point guard situation have already spilled into the national conversation through NBA Insider Chris Haynes.
The bigger issue is that Phoenix doesn’t seem to have many moves left. Jordan Ott is still not putting the best point guard available to him in the starting lineup, even though the need is obvious.
Miles Bridges hasn’t brought value after costing the franchise an unprotected first-round pick just months ago, and Dillon Brooks has settled back into the player he’s been for most of his career. There’s also the possibility that the front office could get New Orleans to take Jalen Green in a Dejounte Murray deal, but even that route comes with problems.
That’s why Booker keeps coming back as the one big piece the Suns might have to consider moving if they want real change.
For Miami, the appeal is easy to see: pair Booker with Giannis Antetokounmpo and sort out the rest later. For Phoenix, Adebayo would give them their best center in more than a decade, while his defense could help cover for the issues created by having Green and Bridges in the starting five. It would also give Khaman Maluach a chance to step back and develop without being rushed.
Mat Ishbia has said multiple times that the organization will never trade Booker, but that may only be his call for so long. The leaked locker room unrest hasn’t been part of Booker-led teams before, and even if he had nothing to do with it, he has never looked like a player drawn to off-court noise. He wants to play and he wants to win, and right now neither is happening in Phoenix.
And when Booker scores three points in a game, that’s a flashing red light all by itself. By now, he has to know the Suns aren’t winning a championship in The Valley.
The front office is short on options, and the only real swing left might be moving their star to the destination he prefers - even if his contract makes it complicated. Simmons’ point was that Miami has the pieces to make it happen.
In Other News...
Suns Enter Nuggets Matchup With A Problem Fans Can Feel
The Suns head into their matchup with Denver carrying a roster issue that has been hard to ignore, and it is the kind of problem fans can spot even before tipoff. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported internal frustration over the lack of a true point guard, a concern that has hovered around the team as it tries to find a steadier rhythm on offense.
Phoenix will also have to manage that issue while dealing with another absence, with starting center Mark Williams sidelined. Denver brings its own injury questions into the game, listing two players as questionable and two out, and the Nuggets have a little extra incentive with a chance to move their record above .500. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Already Have A Defensive Problem They Can't Ignore
The early returns on defense have been rough enough to demand attention, and the Suns have spent recent practices trying to clean up the issues before they harden into a bigger problem. Through the first three games of the season, Phoenix has sat last in defensive rating and has allowed opponents to shoot the highest three-point percentage in the league, a troubling start for a team that knows it cannot afford to give away easy looks.
Jordan Ott and the players have made the focus clear: better effort, sharper communication and more physical play on that end of the floor. Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges and Khaman Maluach have all acknowledged the need for improvement, and the timing matters with the Denver Nuggets up next, a matchup that will quickly show whether the Suns' defensive emphasis is starting to stick. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Get A Needed Frontcourt Boost Against Denver
The Suns will get a needed frontcourt lift against Denver, with center Oso Ighodaro set to return after missing two games because of a right oblique strain. Coach Jordan Ott said Ighodaro took part in most of practice and has been trending in the right direction, a welcome sign for a team that has felt his absence on the glass and on the defensive end.
Phoenix has been looking for more stability inside, and Ighodaros availability comes at a good time as the Nuggets bring a physical front line. The Suns have struggled with rebounding and defense without him, so his return gives them a chance to tighten up a problem area and see whether the frontcourt can hold up better in a matchup that tends to expose soft spots. [Read more 🡒]