Change will come to the roster in many forms, free agency will be an opportunity for the Suns to show that.
With the Phoenix Suns coming off a disappointing season, everyone expects change to this roster. Yesterday at his introductory press conference, Brian Gregory made that clear, stating that he and Mat Ishbia will be aligned on building a new identity and culture for the team. The word “alignment” was used multiple times throughout, and it even became a point where the buzzword was overused.
That being said, details were not provided on the direction of this team, but we can all expect a new roster to emerge. With two back-to-back heartbreaking seasons, it is time to explore some different options on this roster.
Suns GM Brian Gregory: “As Mat (Ishbia) said last week, there might be a time a player is available but doesn’t fit what we do. It may look great and I gotta say, ‘Mat, he’s not a Phoenix Sun. That’s not how he lives his life. That’s not how he plays.’ That’s really important.” pic.twitter.com/mjdZTUfifr
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 6, 2025
We all know the Suns will be involved in the trade market this offseason, with big-name players like Kevin Durant already circulating trade rumors. Bradley Beal is another name that the Suns will look to trade, but trades are not the only way to add, as Gregory noted.
Free agency is another significant pool, and for the Suns, it has not been expansive due to their second-round apron restrictions. With the ability to move out of that hole, it allows the Suns to have more freedom and explore options they could not add in the past. So let’s dive in and explore five guys who I think could make key impacts on this team next year if brought to the Valley.
Who should they even target?
Well, that’s ultimately the biggest question. With the Suns already having an abundance of free agents, it is unclear who will be on this roster. If they can swing a trade for Durant or Beal, who knows what the return will be? Making these moves could create roster holes that lead the Suns in other directions, but as of now, all these players would be beneficial.
More Frontcourt Help
We have seen that the center department has been underwhelming for the Suns over the last couple of years. After being unable to utilize Deandre Ayton to his full potential, they shipped him out and then sent out his replacement, Jusuf Nurkic, this season. That leaves them with only two bigs on the roster, Nick Richards and Oso Ighodaro.
Richards is on a non-guaranteed deal; although he will likely return, there is no guarantee. If he does return, he has shown flashes of greatness but is still a fringe starting center in my eyes. Ighodaro impressed in his rookie season, but still has flaws on both sides as he is still learning.
Clint Capela
Clint Capela has been someone I have wanted the Suns to get since last offseason. Even though Capela has not been the flashiest big, he solves two things the Suns need: interior rim protection and rebounding. It was clear that trading Nurkic away was for the best of the team, but they failed to fill that hole. Capela brings that Nurkic role back to this team. He is a solid screener as well and could work well in the pick and roll alongside Booker.
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Not to mention, he is not going to spread out and stretch the floor; he will DEFEND that paint with his life. If the Suns are looking to bring back Richards as well, this does not matter, as at this point in his career, Capela has taken a little step back. Allowing him to share minutes with Richards in a similar role can bring the best out of them both. This would allow one of them, if they were struggling or were in foul trouble, to get a rest with the Suns still having Ighodaro’s presence to provide off the bench.
Now, to get Capela, it would be tricky.
Atlanta is willing to let him go as they want to shed some salary and invest in some younger bigs. The problem is, will he be out of the Suns’ pay range? The goal of the Suns should be to drop into the first apron, and by doing so, having that flexibility, depending on what trades they make, could free up that money. The Suns, if they were able to get into the first apron, would have a Mid-Level Exception, which could be used on a contract like his. This year, he made $20 million. I do not expect him to get that, but once again, will that new price be too high for Phoenix?
Steven Adams
A name Suns fans may not want to hear, but one that is worth discussing is Steven Adams. This season, he demonstrated his ability to be a solid paint defender, rebounder, and shot blocker once again. This is someone similar to Capela, who fits this role for the Suns. Similar to Capela, I do feel that having him share those minutes with Richards would still be valuable for this team.
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In my opinion, he is a cheaper version of Capela if the Suns are outpriced around the league. With Adams’ recent success in Houston, though, will he want to move on? Well, the Houston Rockets, similar to the Suns, are also in a ton of offseason trade rumors, so that question will only be answered by the moves they make before.
Chris Boucher
This addition is a different style of player the Suns could add, but it would bring value. Chris Boucher is a true power forward, something this Suns roster has lacked since they traded for Durant. Now, that is not a slight on him, but if they do move on from him, that then frees up the opportunity to explore that type of player for this roster. Boucher typically plays the power forward position and can also play some small-ball five if needed.
This season, he had a stretch of games where he went insane and even shot great from three. Boucher’s numbers this season were some of the best in his career, and bringing that new archetype to Phoenix could spark something. For a team looking for a new identity and culture, this is someone who represents that in the role the team hasn’t had in a while.
Photo by Kevin Sousa/Getty Images
Once again, Boucher is in a similar situation to Capela. He has been in trade rumors for the last two seasons with the Toronto Raptors and does not align with the team’s current direction. That leads me to believe that the Raptors are okay with losing him in free agency if the Suns see some light in his game.
Sandro Mamukelashvili
Now I won’t lie to you, this is definitely a homer pick. As someone who attended Seton Hall alongside the best product to come out of the school recently, I have followed his game since he graduated. In minor roles within a limited time, he has shown me and many others what he can bring offensively as a big in this league. Sandro deserves the respect, and a team like the Suns, I feel, can give him that opportunity.
Unlike the names listed above, this would not be a major add, but a solid depth piece for the frontcourt to help on offense. He would be another offensive big in the mix alongside Ighodaro for this team. Sandro also played power forward in college, and I would not be shocked if they used him as a shooting forward as well if he were brought here.
To me, he would be the next crowd favorite, as he has been in Milwaukee and San Antonio. The best part, too, is that he would not be expensive at all!
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The only issue is whether San Antonio will be willing to part with him. The Spurs waited until the end of free agency to bring him back this season, but with an expanded role this year, he has shown that he can live up to a bigger payday. If the Suns are willing to steal a fun culture pick for the team, Sandro is that guy.
Also, not to mention, he did this to the Suns in their final games
Wing Depth Is Still Needed
For our final player, we will explore another position of need. Clearly, the wing group was not abundant this season, and that limited the size and defensive ability of this team. With Cody Martin on a non-guaranteed deal and the uncertainty surrounding Durant in Phoenix still, this makes it a more pressing need.
Jake LaRavia
In my opinion, this is THE wing the Suns should target for this team.
One, he is a solid defender and would help out on that side of the ball. He was also drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies, one of the teams that embrace heart and hustle on both sides. That is precisely the type of culture and identity this team lacked last year, and one that Mat Ishbia wants to see this year. As a four-year veteran, LaRavia also brings experience to the league.
Is he the best offensive player? No, but does he need to? No, once again. This team has been built on offense and scoring for TOO LONG, and this is another player that fills in a hole this team has.
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Sadly, I think the Suns’ ability to acquire him will not be there. He was traded at the deadline to the Sacramento Kings, and they are also a terrible defensive team. With a need for a wing as well, I expect the Kings to be all over this, but if not, the Suns should be giving this man a call.
Final Thoughts
The Suns need new faces and new roles if they want to change this identity. If we are all aligned, even if we do not agree on the players I listed, we can agree that change is necessary. I hope to see the Suns at least listen in that area and pursue something different in this offseason.
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