The Phoenix Suns have pivoted out of their Big-Three-Gone-Wrong era in impressive fashion—even if a soft schedule has factored into their 9-6 start to the 2025-26 NBA season. Devin Booker is performing at an All-NBA level, the support shooters are splashing threes around him, and Phoenix has unleashed the kind of defensive tenacity that owner Mat Ishbia promised.
And yet, with Booker still standing as a solo star in the desert, it's fair to wonder whether Phoenix might turn toward the trade market in hopes of raising its ceiling in time to maximize the prime window of its 29-year-old centerpiece. The time to make that move could be right now, since the Suns' limited trade budget may reach just far enough to get something done for the potentially available LaMelo Ball.
This would be a home-run swing, to be sure, but the Suns have already taken multiple huge hacks during Ishbia's brief tenure. This recent roster reset felt less like a long-term rebuild than it did, buying a little time to build things back up around Booker. Attempting that with a Ball blockbuster might effectively deplete the asset collection, but the possibility of adding a second star for relatively cheap could be too tempting to pass up.
Adding a second shot-creator might make Devin Booker unstoppable
When opponents play the Suns now, they can comfortably throw the kitchen sink, oven, and every other kitchen fixture within arm's reach at Booker. And, yes, that's still the case even when Phoenix has a healthy Jalen Green.
To Booker's credit, he's smart enough to make the right read more often than not and punish defenses that leave his supporting cast unattended.
That said, the shots he doesn't take are hoisted by less talented players. Credit Phoenix's role players for seizing those chances so far, but maybe that doesn't continue when the competition stiffens. After all, the Suns are just 1-3 against .500-or-better opposition so far.
Drop Ball onto this roster, and that option goes out the window—with the *if Ball is healthy caveat added, of course. His availability issues are some of the worst in basketball; he made just 105 appearances over the past three seasons combined. If he can't play, he obviously couldn't help Booker, and Phoenix could wind up wasting some of the most critical prime years of his career.
The caution flags would be flying at full-mast, but the Suns can't afford a star without some kind of dented-can type of discount. Ball's durability concerns would be factored into his trade cost and probably serve as the sole reason why this asset-strapped squad could actually afford him.
When Ball is upright, he cracks the short list of the league's most gifted offensive players. He is a brilliant passer, particularly at his (trendy) 6'7" size, and he boasts some of the deepest range in the business. His efficiency can be lacking, but to be fair, he has never suited up alongside a player of Booker's ilk.
With both in the backcourt and not a ton of disruption to the rest of the rotation—Green is hurt right now, Fleming needs more polish, and Ball would soak up Goodwin's minutes and then some—the hope is Phoenix could have an overpowered offense and a defense respectable enough to make this group a real headache come playoff time. And if the Suns could coax more winning habits out of Ball, they'd have the chance to become even more than that.
It'd be a risk, and it really only works if the Hornets have big fans of Green (and believers of Fleming) in the front office, but this hasn't exactly been the most risk-averse organization around. Plus, if the Suns aren't wholly convinced this start is sustainable (or good enough to compete in the perpetually loaded West), they might be more open to taking a big swing than you might initially think.