Brian Gregory, Suns
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Phoenix Suns newly promoted general manager Brian Gregory has a work cut out for him.
T he Phoenix Suns are looking to accomplish two things this offseason: trade Kevin Durant and find a starting center.
While they are busy surveying the trade landscape for Durant, the Suns are also multitasking in doing their due diligence on centers who are potentially available this summer.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Boston Celtics‘ Kristaps Porziņģis and Indiana Pacers‘ Myles Turner are on the Suns’ radar.
“I’ve also heard that Phoenix has done some background work on Kristaps Porziņģis with Boston known to be exploring its trade options up and down the roster. Sources say you can likewise add Phoenix to the list of teams that had been hoping to elbow its way into Myles Turner’s free agency this summer,” Fischer wrote on “The Stein Line” Substack newsletter on June 16.
Between the two centers, Porziņģis is more attainable.
Veteran Centers
Kristaps Porzingis, Myles Turner, Suns
Getty Kristaps Porzingis of the Boston Celtics dunks and scores against Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers.
Both Porziņģis and Turner are win-now centers who can help the Suns in their bid to become competitive in the stacked Western Conference in the post-Kevin Durant era.
Porziņģis, 29, is on a $30.7 million expiring salary. A Suns move for the Celtics’ center could fill their hole in the middle in the short term. But such a trade could also help the Suns get below the second apron while they re-tool around franchise star Devin Booker.
But with both the Celtics and the Suns on the second apron, it is tricky to make a trade since they cannot aggregate salaries. Will the Suns rope in the Celtics in a multi-team trade that would send Durant to one of his preferred destinations while getting Porzingis and possibly picks in return?
On the other hand, Turner will become an unrestricted free agent after this season. Without cap room, the Suns’ only pathway to acquire him is via sign-and-trade. In the event Turner does not return to Indiana (which multiple reports say he will return), the Suns could use whatever they get for Durant in pursuit of Turner.
But first, they have to get out of the second apron to gain more flexibility — access to the midlevel exception and can aggregate salaries.
Young Center
Getty Kel’el Ware was named as the “swing” piece for the Miami Heat in the Kevin Durant trade talks.
Durant’s camp has leaked his preferred destinations as trade talks heat up.
According to ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania, one of the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets is where Durant wants to play next and commit to a long-term extension.
Durant has one year and $54.7 million left in his current four-year, $190 million contract. He can sign a two-year, $112 million extension wherever he lands next. If he waits six months after the trade, he could fetch more — $124 million over two years, according to Charania.
The Heat have a center, whom the Suns covet, Fischer noted in an earlier report.
“Miami’s ultimate willingness to surrender Kel’el Ware, given the Suns’ noted hole at center, could be the true swing factor in the Heat’s Durant pursuit. In February, it was clear: Sources say Miami was unwilling at the trade deadline to part with either of its recent first-round draft successes: Ware or Jaime Jacquez Jr. Could that change now after Miami fell so flat in the playoffs with its post-Butler roster?” Fischer wrote on “The Stein Line” Substack newsletter on June 14.
In contrast to Porziņģis and Turner, Ware is very young, but he’s an athletic and mobile big man.
The Heat’s 7-foot center is fresh off a promising rookie season. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 9.3 points on 55.4% shooting and 7.4 rebounds in 22.2 minutes.