Point or counterpoint, Grayson Allen’s future is up for debate in Phoenix.
Oh, you thought I was done with point/counterpoint debates after Devin Booker and Kevin Durant? Not quite. There are still other highly compensated names on this roster we need to unpack, and it’s only fair we do so. The Suns have five players set to make over $10 million this coming season, and we’ve only scratched the surface with two of them.
Now, before you ask, no. I’m not about to entertain a point/counterpoint on whether the Suns should keep Bradley Beal. Because frankly, I can’t come up with a credible case for it outside of “he’s here, so you might as well hope for a spark in the final years of his deal.” And that’s not analysis. That’s resignation.
But Grayson Allen? That’s a conversation worth having. His skill set, combined with a salary number that makes him movable, is intriguing. He’s owed $54.4 million over the next three years, with a player option in 2027-28 and a $16.9 million hit next season.
There are teams around the league that would value what he brings to the table. So let’s get into it, the reasons you consider trading him this summer…and the reasons you might not.
Point: Trade Grayson Allen
Roster Construction
Every successful NBA team shares a common blueprint. You build around one or two max-level stars, surround them with three to six solid mid-tier contracts, and fill out the rest of the roster with veterans on minimums or young players on cost-effective deals. That structure isn’t a secret. It’s a formula. And it’s one the Phoenix Suns failed to follow last season.
They overloaded the top of the cap sheet with three max contracts, leaving little flexibility elsewhere. Yes, they had Grayson Allen’s mid-level deal, which, in theory, should have helped. But in practice, it exposed the real issue: it’s not just about the size of a contract. It’s about the fit.
Grayson Allen is exactly the kind of player you’d typically use a mid-level slot on. But the question isn’t whether his deal is reasonable, it’s whether he gives you what that kind of money should buy on a contending roster. And the answer? Not really.
Allen is a shooter. That’s it. He’s not a defender. Not a tone-setter. Not someone who brings grit, edge, or identity. He bulked up last season, sure. But strength doesn’t equal toughness, and his presence never shifted the Suns’ energy or raised their floor.
That’s the problem. Roster building isn’t just math, it’s purpose. And while Allen checks the financial box, he doesn’t check the basketball ones. When your mid-level guys don’t reinforce your identity, you’re paying the right price for the wrong product.
He has a Desired Skill Set
Every team in the NBA needs shooting. It’s one of the most coveted and scarce commodities in the league, and teams like the Orlando Magic were desperate for it last season. Grayson Allen has it in spades.
During his time in Phoenix, Allen shot an impressive 44.5% from beyond the arc. In 2023-24, he led the entire league in three-point percentage at 46.1%. That’s not just good, that’s elite. That’s the kind of skill that makes front offices around the league take notice. That’s why Allen is one of the most valuable trade chips the Suns have.
You don’t trade him because he’s bad. You trade him because he’s good, and because teams will pay for it, whether in rotation-ready players or future draft capital. He’s your swing piece, your leverage point, the guy who helps initiate the reset without compromising your top-end talent.
So when you’re reimagining your roster, Allen becomes less of a fixture and more of a means. You move him because he’s a specialist. Because what he does best is universally desirable. And because that gives you the power to go get what you need most.
Now, you might be concerned that moving on from Grayson Allen could weaken the Suns’ three-point shooting. On the surface, that’s fair. But this isn’t a one-for-one swap. It’s a piece of a larger puzzle.
The Suns won’t be operating in a vacuum this offseason. Trading Allen isn’t the only move. They’ll be reshuffling multiple pieces. And in that process, you can reintroduce shooting through players who offer more than just a jumper. The goal isn’t to punt on spacing, it’s to find shooters who also defend, who also rebound, who also bring the edge and identity this team is sorely lacking.
Allen is expendable because you can replace his shooting and address your other needs in the same deal, or the ones that follow. You can chase players who check more than one box. Players like Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr., or Goga Bitadze. Guys who bring size. Guys who bring defense. Guys who can patch the holes that exposed this team time and time again.
If Allen helps you get there, you make that move. Because in the pursuit of identity, you don’t hang on to redundancy. You turn it into something that matters.
Counterpoint: Do Not Trade Grayson Allen
Now is Not the Time
One of the biggest reasons not to trade Grayson Allen right now? Timing.
Yes, his contract is valuable. And yes, it was crafted with intention. When the Suns signed Allen to his extension, they did it with roster flexibility in mind. They used his Bird rights to inflate the number, the same way they did with Josh Okogie, giving themselves a mid-tier salary slot to use in a future deal.
It was a chess move, not a commitment.
But here’s the issue: the contract might be just a little too long at this moment. Allen has three years left, and that can be a tough pill to swallow for a front office looking for short-term help. Not every team is eager to take on a long-term deal, even for a sharpshooter. Some just want a rental. A plug-and-play shooter to open the floor for a playoff run. Not a three-year commitment.
That changes a year from now. When Allen is down to two years left on his deal, it becomes significantly more digestible. More palatable. Easier to fit into cap sheets and timelines. It’s a nuance, but a critical one.
You can see the contrast with Nassir Little, another contract that was deemed “just a little too long.” The Suns had to stretch and waive him because there was no market. Allen is a different case entirely. He does have a market. But to maximize that market—to get back real value—it may be smarter to wait. Let the timeline mature. Let the demand grow. Let the contract shorten. And then strike.
You Always Can Use Three-Point Shooting
Yes, GA is tradeable. But that doesn’t mean you have to trade him.
You’ve got one of the most valuable skill sets in the modern NBA: elite three-point shooting. And Allen doesn’t just check that box, he defines it. Since arriving in Phoenix, he’s shot 44.5% from deep. That’s not just good. That’s historic. He leads the franchise all-time in both three-point percentage and threes made per game—2.5, to be exact—surpassing names like Raja Bell, Kevin Durant, and even Steve Nash. That’s rarefied air, and it doesn’t just grow on trees.
The Suns ranked fifth in the league in three-point percentage during Allen’s first season. They improved to third the following year. That’s not a coincidence. That’s impact. And impact, especially at a reasonable salary, is hard to come by.
Is he a lockdown defender? No. Does he bring toughness, grit, and a menacing physical presence? Not really. But does he fill a critical need for this team and any team in the league trying to win basketball games? Absolutely. You still have to score. You still have to space the floor. You still need guys who know how to put the ball in the basket. That’s what Allen gives you, night in and night out.
So unless you’re getting exactly what you need in return—be it size, defense, or a foundational piece that helps you build a new identity—there’s no need to rush this. You hold the cards. And in Grayson Allen, you’re holding a damn good one.
Point. Counterpoint. Trade Grayson Allen. Keep Grayson Allen. The case has been made on both fronts.
Now the question turns to you: what do you think?
Should the Suns hang on to the most efficient three-point shooter in franchise history, or should they cash in on one of their most tradeable assets to reshape the roster? Does he represent a crucial floor-spacer for a star-heavy team, or is he the first domino in a broader effort to redefine the team’s identity?
Drop your thoughts in the comments, and check back tomorrow when we ask the same question about Royce O’Neale.
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