The Phoenix Suns have six players who they will be eligible trade come December 15th, when the restrictions on moving players signed either during the offseason officially lifts. Of those individuals, Josh Okogie is a name that should generate some interest around the league.
Luckily for the Suns, he is also making more than the minimum. As a second apron team, this means they have access to players they ordinarily wouldn't, as they can move Okogie's $8 million this season straight up for a player on the same money or less (if the other team can afford to take Okogie on).
Bol Bol is not going to be as easy to move because of a contract quirk.
Bol is one of the six players the Suns can think about moving if another organization shows interest, not that there is much out there for him right now anyway. After an ok season last time out in The Valley - one in which is nothing else he proved he could stick in a regular season rotation for a couple of months - Bol has been used sparingly so far in 2024-25.
The reality is that head coach Mike Budenholzer doesn't trust him defensively - and rightly so - while on the other end he's too much of an enigma to bank on consistently. If you're a rebuilding group he's tons of fun to plug in and play - which is why one of these trades makes sense - but if you're trying to contend like the Suns, not so much.
Bol Bucket. pic.twitter.com/a47QZr1UfK
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 9, 2024
But even if there was a suitor out there for Bol, there's a pretty unique reason the Suns couldn't just trade him immediately. As he played with the franchise last season - and returned on the same minimum deal this time out - Bol has Bird Rights on his current deal for 2024-25, which gives him a little bit of leverage for the remainder of the campaign.
What that means is that between now and the February 6th trade deadline, Bol can effectively shoot down any potential trade that the Suns could cook up for his services. If he doesn't like the look or fit of the location, he can ensure the deal doesn't happen. He's not the only one either, with another target we'd like the organization to go after also falling into that category.
The reason for this? Any of the 12 players (which includes Bol) who did actually get traded, would forfeit their Bird Rights in the process. Again this might not seem like much because as we have already seen, the interest in Bol is sure to be minimum, if it even exists at all. But imagine it held up a more complicated deal.
The Suns being in the second apron and the rise of so many teams out there being careful with their cap situation means that three-team deals may become more normal in the coming years. It is a way to ensure everybody can get some of what they need, while also keeping their books clean and not falling into any harsh tax implications down the road.
Imagine if the Suns somehow managed to find a wing who they could get to Phoenix, if it meant re-directing Bol elsewhere, and he didn't sign off on it. Why would he, the fans and his teammates love him and he appears comfortable in The Valley. Just another unwanted complication for the Suns to consider as they try to do everything they can to get better.