Phoenix has officially blown it up, and thank goodness. After crashing and burning with its short-lived “Big Three” experiment, the Suns have taken decisive, bold steps to recalibrate. First, they sent Kevin Durant packing to Houston in a seismic seven-team swap, landing Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, a lottery pick, and a haul of second-rounders.
Then came the Bradley Beal buyout, freeing valuable cap space and pushing Phoenix below the dreaded luxury-tax aprons. And if that wasn’t enough, Devin Booker locked in a record-breaking two-year supermax extension, ensuring the Suns’ rebuild will truly pivot around him.
What’s left? A young core with elite scorers Booker and Green at its heart, and just enough room to maneuver. And it starts by moving three veterans, Dillon Brooks (ironically part of the Durant return), Grayson Allen, and Royce O’Neale, in a series of three trades designed to stockpile draft picks, free cap, and reset the roster’s identity.
This isn’t the Suns whispering, “please be patient.” It’s a full-throttle youth movement, with a fierce belief: pivot now or root in mediocrity. Let’s break down the three trades that could put Phoenix back on the fast track to contention.
1. Swapping Dillon Brooks For Youngsters And Picks
Proposed Trade Details
Phoenix Suns Receive: Moussa Diabate, DaQuan Jeffries, 2031 First-Round Pick (CHO), 2031 Second-Round Pick (CHO)
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Dillon Brooks
Phoenix swaps the rugged wing in Dillon Brooks for two role players and two future picks from Charlotte (a 2031 1st and 2nd). Brooks brings grit and energy, but his style clashes with Booker-Green’s offensive flair, and also because they need to look at the long-term. Diabate and Jeffries shore up the bench, but the picks stretch our flexibility deep into the 2030s.
Diabate (23 years old who posted 5.7 PPG and 6.2 RPG last season) and Jeffries (27 years old) are solid bench pieces, but with the two picks, you’re essentially buying back the chance to add either another wing or a complementary piece down the line, keeping the rebuild pipeline clean and intentional.
The Hornets will likely want to do this deal to continue building a team that won’t settle for the lottery around LaMelo Ball anymore. With Brooks coming in, they can actually field a starting lineup that won’t be a pushover for the first time in years.
Frankly, this is low-risk, high-reward. You declutter the roster with high-salary players, secure two youngsters who won’t make a combined $6 million next season, and throw in draft capital that matters. That’s the kind of smart pivot that a rapid rebuild is needed.
2. Sending Grayson Allen To Detroit For A Young Player
Proposed Trade Details
Phoenix Suns Receive: Marcus Sasser, 2026 first-round pick (DET)
Detroit Pistons Receive: Grayson Allen
Moving Grayson Allen gives us spacing and flips a sticky $16-19M contract into a shrewd asset. Detroit dues: they hand back Marcus Sasser, a 2023 31st pick with upside, plus a 2026 unprotected first. That’s straight value, Sasser’s an authentically pick-and-roll savvy guard who plays with pace and poise (6.6PPG, 2.3 APG), and he’s still just scratching the surface.
Allen’s deadly from deep (10.6 PPG, 42.6% 3-PT FG), but he’s become redundant in a guard-heavy Suns roster where spacing isn’t the problem, it’s output and upside. Sasser, on the other hand, brings youth and the kind of developmental profile that fits a pivot to a younger core while still offering shooting gravitas.
Calling this a true win-win with sunny underpinnings would be fair. Detroit gets a bucket-maker and stout defender in Allen to bolster their playoff hopes, Suns get capital and a controlled guard with room to grow. That 2026 pick? That could be lottery-level, and that’s non-negotiable when you’re rebuilding with pace and flexibility in mind.
3. Moving Royce O’Neale For Ousmane Dieng And Nikola Topic
Proposed Trade Details
Phoenix Suns Receive: Ousmane Dieng, Nikola Topic
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: Royce O’Neale
In this belt-tightening swap, Phoenix ships out veteran glue Royce O’Neale to OKC and brings back young wing Ousmane Dieng and rehabbing point guard Nikola Topic. Dieng is promising, a high-upside Swiss guard/wing with draft pedigree and athleticism. Topic, while less heralded, offers developmental spark and cheap salary flexibility.
O’Neale is clutch, but at 32 and two years older than Green, his value is timing-dependent. His defense is elite, but the Suns need to be building around youthful upside. The Thunder are coming off an NBA title, and adding a 3-and-D wing is perfect for their bench to cover for injuries.
For the Suns, Dieng brings length, upside, and room to grow next to Booker and Green. Topic? Riskier, but maybe an overlooked swingman whose contract could be flipped later.
Bottom line: this one satisfies the three pillars: shed veteran salary, add youth, and keep flexibility. Might sting at first, but adding Dieng sets up a multi-year rebuild alignment. Trust the process, believe in the upside, and watch these wings fly.
The Phoenix Suns Can Rebuild Around Booker And Green With Five Young Players And Three Future Picks
Phoenix’s path is clear: rebuild fast and smart around Devin Booker and Jalen Green by surrounding them with five rising young talents and locking in three more future draft picks. With Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, and Royce O’Neale offloaded, the Suns are shedding salary, clearing space, and re-stocking the vault with valuable assets.
Combine that with the existing youth, Mark Williams, Khaman Maluach, Liam McNeeley, plus potential on-ball pieces, and suddenly, Phoenix isn’t just hoping next year’s playoffs: they’re building for a deep run. The draft capital isn’t an abstract benefit, either; it’s currency for flexibility.
Holding onto that 2026 first-rounder from Detroit while banking others down the road places Phoenix in a prime position to swing big in the 2026 free agent market. The 2026 free agent class is headlined by Luka Doncic, De’Aaron Fox, Trae Young, Zach LaVine, Norman Powell, Kristaps Porzingis, and even Mikal Bridges. As we have seen, anything can happen.
Whether it’s a dynamic guard in Young or a versatile big man in Porzingis, the Suns will be listening, and they’ll have the firepower to strike. That’s how you go from torn-down to title-chasing in two seasons.
