The Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes were put on hold this season after the Bucks refused to strike a deal before the deadline. This summer, however, trade talks are expected to resume in earnest, with a new team potentially joining the fold: the Phoenix Suns.
According to one Suns insider, Phoenix is one of Giannis’ preferred trade destinations, driven by a culture of winning created by star guard Devin Booker and team owner Mat Ishbia. Despite his interest, however, the Suns may not be willing to give up the farm to acquire Giannis.
“Giannis absolutely wants to be in Phoenix and is a preferred destination,” wrote Suns insider Flex. “That’s because of Mat Ishbia, Devin Booker, and what they’re building! That said, I don’t believe the Suns will blow things on an all-in move. Would have to make sense! They love the situation they are in.”
It wasn’t long ago that the Suns were in a miserable situation, held back by a toxic locker room environment. They were a franchise without a soul and with no discernible direction for the future. Then, the Suns changed everything by trading away Kevin Durant, sending him to the Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the #10 overall pick in the 2025 Draft (Khaman Maluach), and five second-round picks. Now, the Suns are doing things the right way and building a team from the ground up instead of trying to buy their way to glory.
“The Suns are a top 3 preferred destination for multiple stars because of the way the team is being built, ran by ownership, and obviously Devin Booker! They are building it right and believe in what they are building currently,” added Flex. “No shortcuts, doing it right across the board!”
Of course, trading everything for Giannis Antetokounmpo would go against that strategy, and it’s why the Suns may be compelled to call off their pursuit of the NBA champion before it really begins.
“This front office believes in what they are currently building and is always trying to improve on it to get back to championship contention,” the Suns insider added. “That said, they will not sell the farm or blow it up to chase a big fish! It will have to make sense for them and everyone involved!”
It seems the Suns have learned from their failed experiment with Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant. Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the table, they will not give up everything for a chance to pair him with Booker. They know more than most teams how important depth can be to contention, and holding on to those crucial role players is going to be what maintains progress from season to season.
Still, if there’s a Giannis trade that makes sense for the Suns, they won’t hesitate to pull the trigger. As a two-time MVP, NBA champion, and 10x All-Star, he has proven that he can dominate at the highest levels of the game. But after his last Finals appearance in 2021, the Greek Freak has yet to return, leading to increasing tensions between him and team management.
Now, with the relationship at a breaking point, the Suns are among the teams that could be in play to land the future Hall of Famer, assuming the right conditions are met. If they are, and the Suns make the ultimate addition, it could set them on a path to prosperity that rivals some of the greatest teams of the modern era. Assuming they keep Devin Booker and Mark Williams in the deal, it would be the start of a whole new era in Suns history.
