Looking at the current rosters, the Phoenix Suns appear to be in a better spot than the Charlotte Hornets. However, it seems likely that both teams will be missing out on the postseason this year. The Hornets were already eliminated in late March, while Phoenix is 2.5 games behind the Western Conference's No. 10 seed after losing to the New York Knicks on Sunday.
The Suns need a miracle to sneak into the play-in tournament, as three of their remaining four matchups will come against West contenders, including the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder. It's also unclear when Kevin Durant will return from a left ankle sprain that caused him to sit out their previous two meetings.
If Phoenix does miss the playoffs or even just the play-in, it will be a massive disaster for a squad featuring a Big 3 of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. Keep in mind that it also gave up what little future assets it had left to make a couple of deals with the Hornets, both of which have appeared to be more beneficial to Buzz City in the long run.
In that case, some trades might be necessary for the Suns in the summer. A major roster shakeup could also take place if any of their superstars express disappointment with what happened this year.
The trade
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report proposed a "nuclear" solution for the Mat Ishbia-led organization a little over last week that would see it move on from both Durant and Booker. And given how it has fared since the article was published, it makes sense for Phoenix to look for ways to replenish its nearly empty cupboard of draft capital by trading the superstars.
Considering that the Suns are unlikely to find a new home for both of them, they would need to work with at least two other teams. Finances could also make it tricky, but Pincus' idea has the Hornets crashing the party to facilitate the deal.
There are a lot of moving parts in the proposal. However, in essence, the deal would have Durant joining the upstart Houston Rockets, while Booker, plus Charlotte's Josh Okogie and a couple of Rockets veterans, would team up with Victor Wembanyama on the San Antonio Spurs.
Phoenix would then get several veterans from the Spurs (which the franchise could presumably eventually turn into younger players or picks), potential foundational players from Houston, and four first-round selections. One of those picks would be the protected first-rounder the Hornets fleeced from the Miami Heat in last year's Terry Rozier trade.
As for Charlotte, it would land combo guard Malaki Branham from San Antonio, center Jock Landale from Houston, and a 2025 first-round pick from the Atlanta Hawks, which the Spurs currently own.
Spurs get:
- Devin Booker (from Suns)
- Josh Okogie (from Hornets)
- Jae'Sean Tate (from Rockets)
- Jeff Green (from Rockets)
- $5 million trade exception (Malaki Branham)
Rockets get:
- Kevin Durant (from Suns)
Suns get:
- Devin Vassell (from Spurs)
- Harrison Barnes (from Spurs)
- Keldon Johnson (from Spurs)
- Jabari Smith Jr. (from Rockets)
- Reed Sheppard (from Rockets)
- Cam Whitmore (from Rockets)
- Aaron Holiday (from Rockets)
- 2025 Suns own first-rounder (from Rockets)
- 2025 unprotected first-rounder (from Spurs)
- 2027 protected Miami Heat first-rounder (from Hornets)
- 2029 protected first-rounder (from Spurs)
- $12.7 million trade exception (Devin Booker)
Hornets get:
- Malaki Branham (from Spurs)
- Jock Landale (from Rockets)
- 2025 Atlanta Hawks first-rounder (from Spurs)
The grade
There are too many details surrounding the hypothetical blockbuster trade. The CliffsNotes version of it is that the Rockets, who are entering the 2025 playoffs with the No. 2 seed, would get the superstar who can take them over the hump, the Spurs would form one of the most formidable backcourt duos (University of Kentucky products Booker and De'Aaron Fox) in the league to flank Wembanyama, and the Suns would acquire all the resources they need to rebuild.
What's in it for Charlotte, though? Going through with the trade idea would have Buzz City basically flipping Okogie and the Heat's first-rounder for Branham, Landale, and a 2025 draft selection that will likely land in the middle of the first round.
Truth be told, the return looks underwhelming.
Unless the Hornets front office is high on Branham, who has fallen out of San Antonio's rotation in his third year in the league, and wants to cash in on its Heat chips this summer instead of two years from now, it doesn't seem like it would be open to being part of Pincus' megadeal.
Besides, the yield Charlotte would gain runs contrary to the philosophy the squad has recently shown when trading its current pieces or cap space for significantly more tangible assets. While the pick swap might even out, giving away a defensive-minded swingman in Okogie for an unproven prospect in Branham and Landale, whom the Rockets couldn't find a trade partner for at the deadline, might backfire for the Hornets.