Phoenix Suns Cap Dilemma

[timpiker]

I'd love Ayton, but I wouldn't want to give up Rob, which is probably what it would take. If there was some way to do it with Smart as the main piece I'm there.

Smart's going to retire his number in the rafters.

[Who]

CP3 is only guaranteed through next season. After that, they can waive him and only pay him $15.8M of the $60.8M remaining on his contract. At which point, he will be 38 years old. I understand that Suns ownership is not big on going into the tax, but it makes way too much sense for them to do it for 22-23 (or at least sell off a couple of role players to bring the number down a bit). If not, they will not only be screwing themselves next year, but for years to come.

Agreed. You bite the bullet on short term tax pay and then choose who to trade later on depending on how CP3 ages & Ayton develops or fails to develop. Or perhaps Mikal Bridges. But you wait and find out.

[bogg]

Ayton will want the max or close to it. If he becomes a restricted free agent, some team will make that offer, so it’s match or lose him.

If the Suns keep Ayton and salary dump their role players, they can only get worse then they are this season.

Eh, Saric missed this entire season after shredding his knee and is on the books for $9 million or so next year, and Torrey Craig is useful but at the end of the day you're talking about a reserve journeyman who'll be 32 next season. If affording Ayton means cutting about $14 million in Saric/Craig salary I don't think that specifically causes the Suns to drop off.

[perks-a-beast]

Perhaps Saric could be a TPE candidate? I think he’d be a great fit on our team. Certainly not the sexiest option, but something to think about, especially if the Suns would be willing to attach a pick as well.

[bogg]

Perhaps Saric could be a TPE candidate? I think he’d be a great fit on our team. Certainly not the sexiest option, but something to think about, especially if the Suns would be willing to attach a pick as well.

I dunno, Boston would have to pay well over $20 million for him when you count the tax and it's not clear he'd actually get on the court with Horford, Grant, Rob, and Theis all vying for the same minutes. If the TPE gets used, seems like a swingman would be a better target.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

What about a Sixers-Suns trade:

Sixers receive Paul, Crowder, Saric
Suns receive Maxey, Harris

[RPGenerate]

If I were the Suns, I'd be looking to offload CP3 this offseason. Dude looks cooked, and his contract is an albatross.

[JSD]

Would love to absorb Crowder for free with a TPE if the Suns are just looking to lower their tax hit.

He’s on the books for 1 year at 10 Million.

[RPGenerate]

Would love to absorb Crowder for free with a TPE if the Suns are just looking to lower their tax hit.

He’s on the books for 1 year at 10 Million.

McGee would be a nice grab in free agency too.

[celticsclay]

Perhaps Saric could be a TPE candidate? I think he’d be a great fit on our team. Certainly not the sexiest option, but something to think about, especially if the Suns would be willing to attach a pick as well.

He was too slow before his injury, no thanks.

[Ed Monix]

It wouldn’t surprise me to see San Antonio making a max offer for Ayton.

They could open up $34 million in cap space and would easily be able to dump Poeltl, which would give them 43 million in cap room.