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Phoenix Suns
Aug 30, 2025 12:43 PM EDT
After another disappointing season last year, the Phoenix Suns felt that it was time for a change as they completely overhauled their roster this offseason.
Phoenix began their summer by trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for a package centered around Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft they used to select Khaman Maluach.
Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) — Source: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
They then acquired Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets and bought out Bradley Beal’s contract, leaving Devin Booker as the only piece of their star trio remaining on their roster.
Of course, Booker is set to be a key part of Phoenix’s rebuild, especially after they signed him to a massive contract extension.
While the Suns have already made a ton of moves thus far this summer, more could be coming with multiple players on their roster still being in trade rumors.
Suns predicted to acquire Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu
With this in mind, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley recently released a mock trade that has the Suns landing a young center from the Atlanta Hawks to bolster their frontcourt.
Onyeka Okongwu of the Atlanta Hawks
Onyeka Okongwu of the Atlanta Hawks — Source: Imagn
In the trade, the Suns would send Royce O’Neale, Nick Richards and a 2027 first-round pick to the Hawks in exchange for Onyeka Okongwu.
Of course, the Suns struggled mightily with their frontcourt rotation last season even after the addition of Richards in a midseason trade, though they have already bolstered their frontcourt depth this offseason with the addition of Maluach and Williams.
Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards (2) — Source: David Richard-Imagn Images
Despite this, swapping O’Neale and Richards to Atlanta for a young big man in Okongwu would further upgrade their frontcourt while also giving them another young player to build around during their rebuild.
Okongwu is coming off the best season of his NBA career last year as he averaged a career-high 13.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 56.7% from the field and 32.4% from three.
The 24-year-old center is a solid scorer, rebounder and defender, though he does need to improve his outside shooting.
John Collins
Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu (left) talks to former teammate John Collins (right) — Source: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Despite this, Okongwu has continued to improve every season of his career and with the Hawks’ addition of Kristaps Porzingis this offseason, he may be able to find more playing time in Phoenix than he would in Atlanta.
While that may be the case, it is highly unlikely that the Hawks will move on from Okongwu as he has played a key role for them over the past few seasons, though this trade would land them a solid backup big in Richards to replace him along with a 3-and-D wing in O’Neale.
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Nathaniel Holloway