Suns Reluctant To Risk Chemistry By Making Trades
Team officials “love” the chemistry the Suns have established this season and aren’t looking to make a trade ahead of this season’s deadline unless it’s an “amazing” deal, sources tell Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.
As Rankin writes, the Suns’ front office – led by general manager Brian Gregory – is open to having trade conversations leading up to February 5, but is happy with its current roster and the team’s direction.
Phoenix is also eager to see how guard Jalen Green fits in with this group, per Rankin. Green was one of the club’s major offseason additions but has been limited to just two appearances as a Sun due to hamstring issues. He’s on track to play on Tuesday for the first time in nearly two-and-a-half months. Given the timing of his return, the former No. 2 overall pick could function as a de facto deadline acquisition for the Suns.
After trading Kevin Durant and waiving Bradley Beal over the summer, Phoenix was widely viewed as a retooling team that would take a step back and end up firmly in lottery territory. However, the club has exceeded expectations and is off to a 26-17 start. While they currently hold the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, the Suns are just a single game back of the No. 4 Timberwolves.
Although the Suns are wary of shaking up their roster in a major way, that doesn’t mean they won’t make at least one minor move at the deadline. As Rankin points out, veteran big man Nick Richards is viewed as a trade candidate on his $5MM expiring contract. Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro have been Phoenix’s primary fives this season, while 2025 lottery pick Khaman Maluach is considered the team’s center of the future, making Richards the odd man out.
The Suns are also operating just narrowly above the luxury tax line, and while owner Mat Ishbia has shown a willingness in recent years to pay a premium on player payroll, ducking out of tax territory would be a financially prudent move with future repeater penalties in mind. They could accomplish that as part of a Richards trade.
Additionally, power forward is one area that the Suns may want to upgrade going forward, Rankin writes, noting that they pursued Jonathan Kuminga last summer and have been using two wings – Dillon Brooks and Royce O’Neale – as their starting forwards this season. Still, addressing the four could be an offseason priority rather than something Phoenix looks to do during the season.
Injury Notes: Green, Herro, Lakers, Knicks
The Suns are rolling, winning 11 of their past 16 games, including two victories over the Knicks in just over a week. They’re currently fighting for a top-six seed in the Western Conference and boast a 25-17 record, despite having spent most of the season playing without Jalen Green, a key offseason addition.
“We miss Jalen,” Devin Booker said after Phoenix’s latest win over New York on Saturday, per Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “I think Jalen, he’s another person out there that’ll have rim presence for us and draw a lot of fouls. [Collin Gillespie], he’s really punctual. He’s going to get to his middy. Grayson (Allen) has some rim pressure, but we’re all getting excited for Jalen.”
Allen echoed Booker’s sentiment and expressed excitement about how Green could fit into the offense.
“Just another guy who can create his own shot, create advantages for other people,” Allen said. “Make tough shots. Draw two defenders. He’s a big-time scorer. So he’ll help a lot.”
The wait for Green’s return may be over. According to Rankin (Twitter link), the fifth-year guard is listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Nets. While his return isn’t guaranteed, coach Jordan Ott spoke in optimistic terms after the team’s shootaround on Saturday.
“Everything seemed to be good,” Ott said of Green’s third stint of five-on-five work. “So, we’ll see. Still going in the right direction.”
Booker hinted that Green could have returned earlier, suggesting that the Suns were being cautious with his recovery.
“He’s been licking his chops getting ready for this moment,” Booker said. “I think we’ve overdone it with keeping him out. He’s going to be healthy and strong and ready to go.”
We have more injury notes from around the NBA:
- Tyler Herro didn’t travel with the Heat for their five-game road trip after suffering a rib contusion that caused him to miss Saturday’s game against the Thunder, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter). While initial reports indicated that the injury was on the more minor side, he is now set to undergo an MRI, per Winderman (Twitter link), and it’s unclear how many more games he’ll be held out for. Herro has been plagued by injuries for most of the season, having missed 31 of Miami’s first 42 games.
- Lakers stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James are questionable to play in Sunday night’s matchup against the Raptors, tweets Marc Stein. Doncic is dealing with left groin soreness, while James continues to fight through left foot joint arthritis and sciatica. The Lakers are still missing their third star, Austin Reaves, due to the calf strain that has sidelined him since Christmas.
- The Knicks are in a tailspin, having lost eight of their last 10 games, and they may have to make do without two of their leaders against the beat-up Mavericks on Monday. Stefan Bondy of The New York Post notes (via Twitter) that Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart are both listed as questionable for the game. Brunson, the team’s captain and offensive hub, is dealing with a right ankle sprain, while Josh Hart, who in many ways represents the team’s emotional leader, has right ankle soreness.
- While the Mavericks are still missing a majority of the top end of their roster, including P.J. Washington (personal reasons), Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain), and D’Angelo Russell (illness), they got a bit of good news, as star rookie Cooper Flagg was upgraded to questionable as he looks to return from a left ankle sprain, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).
Suns Notes: Brooks, Booker, Green, Bouyea
In a feature story for ESPN.com, Tim MacMahon details how veteran small forward Dillon Brooks helped reshape the cultures — and drive winning — in Houston and Phoenix after his unceremonious departure from Memphis in the 2023 offseason.
“I felt like a lot of people counted me out, thinking I was just going to wash away with the rest of NBA players that had their shine and then were not able to figure out how to evolve and be able to stay in this league,” Brooks said. “I didn’t want to fall off. I didn’t want to call it where I got to go either overseas or chill at home or change my whole career point. I love this game, and I play it because I really love it. I knew that I had to put in the work to be better every single day.”
Known for his relentless work ethic and fiery competitiveness, Brooks has had a positive two-way impact on the surprising Suns, who are currently 24-17 after finishing last season with a disappointing 36-46 record.
“He’s in the gym more than anybody that I know,” guard Collin Gillespie said. “You see how hard he works, how competitive he is, and you want to not let your teammate down when you see that. He makes you want to work harder. He challenges you to be in the gym with him, challenges you to play harder.
“You might not like it sometimes if he’s getting on you, but it makes you a better player for sure.”
Suns owner Mat Ishbia has been thrilled with Brooks’ toughness and intangibles on top of his play, according to MacMahon.
“He’s exactly the type of player [who fits] what we talk about here in Phoenix, what we want to be, the identity of the Suns,” Ishbia told ESPN. “He gets up more shots than everybody else before practice. He cares about winning. He plays defense, he plays offense, he’s a leader. He’s tough. He’s doing everything.
“We wanted Dillon. I envisioned him from a cultural perspective, a leadership perspective and an impact perspective at a really high level. He’s been even better than expected.”
Here’s more from Phoenix:
- Star guard Devin Booker is questionable for Saturday’s contest in New York due to the left ankle sprain that caused him to miss Thursday’s loss at Detroit, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Fellow guards Jalen Green (right hamstring strain) and Jamaree Bouyea (concussion) remain out.
- Although Green will be out again tomorrow, he’s inching closer to a return from the hamstring injury that has sidelined him for all but two games this season, Rankin writes in a full story. “He’s looking more and more confident,” center Mark Williams said. “He’s looking more and more comfortable. Whenever that time is for him, we’ll be excited.” Green’s return might force Gillespie, who has been starting, back to the bench, Rankin notes.
- Brooks says Green will provide a “big spark” for the Suns, according to Rankin, though he’s expected to be on a minutes restriction after a long layoff — he last played on November 8. Head coach Jordan Ott says the team will be cautious with Green, but the club is looking forward to having him back. “Full of talent, full of youthful energy we need,” Ott said. “His speed. His ability to attack off the dribble. We need him, but we need him healthy.”
Booker (Left Ankle Sprain) Out Thursday
- Suns guard Devin Booker missed Thursday’s loss in Detroit due to a left ankle sprain, but head coach Jordan Ott is optimistic he could return for Saturday’s game at New York, per The Associated Press. It was the four-time All-Star’s fourth absence of the season after he previously missed time due to a groin injury.
And-Ones: Caboclo, All-Star Teams, Rising Stars, More
Former NBA forward Bruno Caboclo has signed a rest-of-season contract with Dubai Basketball, the EuroLeague team announced in a press release.
The 20th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Caboclo spent seven years in the NBA, last suiting up for Houston in 2020/21. The 30-year-old spent last season in Israel with Hapoel Tel Aviv, won the FIBA AmeriCup tournament with his native Brazil over the summer, and was sidelined to open ’25/26 due to a back injury.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- ESPN’s Tim Bontemps has made his picks for the 2026 All-Star teams, identifying nine locks from the Eastern Conference and 10 locks in the West, with five “bubble” candidates in each conference. Bontemps makes Pacers forward Pascal Siakam his final pick in the East over Desmond Bane and Michael Porter Jr., with Suns guard Devin Booker claiming his last spot in the West over Los Angeles stars Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
- Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Austin Rivers have been named honorary head coaches for the NBA’s 2026 Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend, the league announced (Twitter link). NBA rookies and sophomores will comprise three of the teams, with the fourth squad made up of G League standouts.
- Bobby Marks and Kevin Pelton of ESPN identify one trade candidate to watch on each NBA roster, ranging from big names like Ja Morant and Domantas Sabonis to under-the-radar trade candidates like Celtics big man Chris Boucher and Clippers forward Kobe Brown.
- In another story for ESPN, Marks takes a look at several of the most valuable traded draft picks for 2026, as well as outlining how certain teams could benefit from various convoluted swaps. Our breakdown of 2026’s traded first-round picks can be found right here.
Rory Maher contributed to this story.
Western Rumors: Pelicans, Rockets, Clippers, Suns, Blazers
Although the Pelicans have turned away teams expressing interest in forward Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones, potential trade partners who have talked to New Orleans have gotten the impression the club is open to moving center Yves Missi and/or swingman Jordan Hawkins, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
After starting 67 games and averaging 26.8 minutes per night as a rookie, Missi has made just seven starts and is averaging 18.2 MPG this season, having fallen behind newcomer Derik Queen on the frontcourt depth chart. As for Hawkins, the former 14th overall pick is having his worst NBA season, averaging just 4.4 points in 14.2 minutes per game, with a 30.3% mark on three-point tries.
While Hawkins likely wouldn’t have much value on the trade market, the Pelicans could potentially extract a decent return for Missi, who had a solid first year in 2024/25. Fischer confirms the Pacers have inquired on the big man, as previously reported by Michael Scotto.
Meanwhile, some of the teams interested in Murphy and Jones continue to hold out hope that the Pelicans are just posturing when they say they aren’t trading either of them this season, but Fischer believes the Pels’ stance is real, given how strongly they’ve rebuffed inquiries on those players so far.
Here are a few more Western Conference rumors from Fischer:
- The Rockets have dropped four of their last six games and have gone just 8-9 since their 15-5 start, but Fischer doesn’t get a sense that Houston is panicking at all, pointing out that the club played 23 of its first 36 games on the road. According to Fischer, the Rockets’ struggles would probably have to worsen considerably for the team to feel any urgency to acquire another ball-handler, especially since there’s still a chance Fred VanVleet could return from his ACL tear for the playoffs.
- When the Clippers got off to a 6-21 start this season, there were teams optimistic that James Harden and Ivica Zubac would be on the trade block this winter, but those hopes have “faded considerably” with L.A. winning 11 of 13 games to reenter the postseason race, Fischer writes.
- Rival executives are keeping a close eye on the Suns and Trail Blazers, per Fischer. Phoenix has won nine of its past 12 games, while Portland won seven of eight before losing to New York and Golden State this week. There’s curiosity about whether one or both of those teams could emerge as a “sneaky” buyer at the trade deadline, Fischer explains, observing that both the Suns and Blazers have multiple mid-tier contracts that could be used as trade chips in various kinds of deals.
Pacific Notes: Booker, Brooks, Hayes, Miller
Suns guard Devin Booker isn’t getting any love from the fans in terms of All-Star voting. The latest returns have Booker ranked 17th among vote-getters in the Western Conference.
Booker isn’t particularly surprised, even though he’s having a strong season. He’s averaging 25.3 points and 6.4 assists per game.
“There are some super big market teams,” he told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “There are guys from different countries that have a whole country behind them. I kind of understand the process, but am I playing better than a lot of guys? For sure, but that’s not the setup.”
Teammate Grayson Allen feels Booker is being slighted by the voting public.
“He is the engine for our team,” Allen said. “Everyone knows he can score the ball, but this year, his play-making has been great. Assists, hockey assists, everything, he is the head of the snake for our team. We’ve surprised a lot of people this year and being the best player on this team, we’re not successful without him. Maybe the team success will help him out. I don’t know. I feel like he’s done enough individually to make it every year.”
Booker has made the All-Star team four times in his career.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Suns wing Dillon Brooks is two technical fouls away from a league-imposed one game suspension. Brooks picked up his 14th technical foul against Miami on Tuesday. Brooks’ latest infraction came when he shoved Heat forward Norman Powell (YouTube video link). An automatic suspension is issued when a player reaches 16 technicals and he receives an additional suspension for every two technicals he receives after reaching that threshold. No other NBA player has more than nine techs at this point.
- Jaxson Hayes underwent an MRI on his left hamstring on Tuesday, according to Lakers coach JJ Redick. Hayes told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link) on his way into the arena that he has experienced tightness in the hamstring for more than a week. Hayes, who played 19 minutes against Sacramento on Monday, hopes to be back in the lineup as soon as next game if the MRI comes back clean.
- Clippers two-way player Jordan Miller is doing his best to earn a standard contract. His minutes have spiked in the last five games and he’s averaged 11.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game during that stretch, including a 21-point outing against Brooklyn and a 14-point performance against Charlotte. “I know what I’m capable of,” Miller told Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. “I played Summer League twice, got first-team honors, so it’s just like going out there and showing everybody like, ‘I belong here now.’ That’s really the theme of the year this year. It’s just like, show everybody you belong.”
Jalen Green Close To Returning From Hamstring Strain
Jalen Green‘s first season with the Suns has been a washout so far due to a right hamstring strain. That could soon change.
Suns coach Jordan Ott said on Tuesday that Green is “there” in terms of returning from the injury that has limited him to two games this season, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports.
“We’ll just keep it moving in the right direction, but he’s taking steps every day,” Ott said. “Continue to assess, but he’s moving in the right direction.”
Green participated in a 5-on-5 scrimmage during the team’s morning shootaround on Tuesday.
“Being out for so long, we’re going to be as cautious as we can, but knowing that he’s itching to get back out there,” Ott said.
Green sat out in Miami on Tuesday as the Suns began a six-game road trip and won’t play against the Pistons on Thursday. However, he’s expected to return at some point during the trip. Phoenix plays the Knicks on Saturday and the Nets on Monday. The road trip winds down with games against the Sixers next Tuesday and the Hawks next Friday.
The hamstring has been an ongoing problem in 2025/26 for Green, who initially suffered a strain early in training camp, then aggravated it during his ramp-up process in mid-October. The 23-year-old sat out the first eight games of the regular season, played 23 minutes in his debut in early November, then aggravated the injury again a couple days later about seven minutes into his second game.
On Dec. 22, the Suns provided an update that indicated Green would miss at least two or three more weeks.
Green was traded from Houston to Phoenix over the summer as part of the Kevin Durant mega-deal. He’s earning about $33.6MM in ’25/26 in the first season of a three-year, $105MM rookie scale extension that includes a $36MM player option for the ’27/28 campaign.
Green will provide another big-time scoring option for the surprising Suns, who are 24-16 after falling to the Heat on Tuesday. He averaged 21 points and 3.4 assists in his final season with Houston.
Pacific Notes: Hachimura, Luka, Harden, Suns, Warriors
Although he was available on Monday, Lakers forward Rui Hachimura sat out for a seventh straight game after head coach JJ Redick learned that Hachimura would be available for just one game in the team’s back-to-back set. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes, Redick decided to save the forward for Tuesday’s game against Atlanta.
The Lakers lost without Hachimura on Monday, falling to a Sacramento team that made 17-of-26 three-point tries. Luka Doncic racked up 42 points vs. the Kings, but was battling a groin issue that required treatment throughout the night, notes McMenamin.
“I was really uncertain (about playing),” Doncic admitted after the game. “Before the game, like warming up, I felt something. So we were just trying to get warm and get going.”
While Hachimura will make his return on Tuesday, it’s unclear whether Doncic (left groin soreness) or LeBron James (left foot joint arthritis and right sciatica) will play. They’re both listed as questionable, per Marc Stein (Twitter link), and could join Jaxson Hayes (left hamstring soreness) and Austin Reaves (left calf strain) on the sidelines.
“Obviously we’re dealing with a lot of injuries right now,” James said on Monday, according to McMenamin. “Not only guys that are not in uniform, but even guys that are in uniform. So, we’re just trying to weather the storm.”
We have more from around the Pacific:
- Clippers guard James Harden become the NBA’s ninth all-time leading scorer on Monday, passing Shaquille O’Neal‘s career total of 28,596 points. “Shaquille O’Neal, somebody that I literally grew up watching here in L.A.,” Harden said, per The Associated Press. “Him and Kobe (Bryant) doing their thing, winning multiple championships, the most dominant big man in the history of the game. It’s a true honor, it’s a testament to the work that I put in.”
- Asked if injured guards Jalen Green (right hamstring strain) and Jamaree Bouyea (concussion protocol) will be available at some point during the six-game road trip that begins on Tuesday, Suns head coach Jordan Ott replied, “That’s the plan” (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). Green has been out since November 8, while Bouyea has missed Phoenix’s past four games.
- Spencer Davies of R.org profiles second-year Suns big man Oso Ighodaro, who has earned praise from Ott for his versatility and his ability to be a “connector” in a variety of lineups. Phoenix has a +7.5 net rating during Ighodaro’s time on the court this season, compared to a -1.2 mark when he sits. “I think last year, when it was spot minutes, I was just giving everything I got,” Ighodaro said. “And now, (I’m) playing a little bit longer stretches, trying to maintain that same level of play just for my entire stretch I’m in the game. I’m definitely being asked to do a little bit more this year, so I’m trying to do all that while maintaining all the effort and intensity.”
- In the wake of Sunday’s loss to Atlanta, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area refers to the Warriors‘ roster as “profoundly defective” due to the team’s lack of length and athleticism, while Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area questions whether head coach Steve Kerr should remain committed to a starting lineup featuring Moses Moody and Quinten Post alongside Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. That five-man unit has started 13 of the Warriors’ past 14 games but has a net rating of -3.3 on the season.
Siegel’s Latest: Pistons, Suns, Raptors, Pelicans, Thunder
Although there has been some speculation that the Pistons could try to make a major win-now move to fortify their roster ahead of the playoffs, multiple sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints that Detroit is unlikely to deal away any of its core players, a group that includes Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey and Isaiah Stewart.
It’s a little strange to see Harris, who is currently out with a hip strain, described as part of the Pistons’ “core,” considering he’s the oldest player (33) on the roster and on an expiring $26.6MM contract. But evidently the team values his contributions and veteran leadership.
According to Siegel, if Detroit’s front office — led by president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon — changes that stance, Trey Murphy III would be a player to watch. Langdon used to be New Orleans’ GM and was part of the group that drafted Murphy.
Here are a few more items of interest from Siegel’s latest rumor round-up:
- The Suns have been scouring the market for a “cheap forward upgrade,” according to Siegel, who says Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and Nick Richards have all been made available in trade talks.
- Reiterating a point recently made by Marc Stein, Siegel cites sources who say the Raptors are viewed as a buyer heading into the deadline, with Domantas Sabonis, Ja Morant and Murphy among the players they’ve considered pursuing. Toronto appears willing to part with its 2026 first-round pick in search of win-now upgrades, according to Siegel, who writes that Ochai Agbaji is likely to be on the move before the deadline, and if a bigger trade is made, Immanuel Quickley may be involved.
- A recent report said the Pelicans have been rebuffing trade inquiries on forwards Murphy and Herbert Jones, among others. Rival teams think that’s due to a combination of a high asking price and being underwhelmed by opposing offers. According to Siegel, New Orleans is looking for two first-round picks for Jones and three for Murphy, plus young players. Siegel hears the Pelicans are also trying to get back into the 2026 draft after sending out their own selection last year for Derik Queen; they’ve been talking to projected playoff teams (in the 20-30 range) about that possibility.
- While the Thunder are considered unlikely to make any type of significant change to their roster prior to the deadline, it’s possible they could look to either consolidate some of their 2026 first-round picks for a more valuable selection or trade them for future draft assets, per Siegel. That may happen closer to the draft, Siegel notes. Dan Woike of The Athletic, citing sources, also hears rival teams think the Thunder will try to turn some of this year’s first-rounders — they could have as many as four — into future assets.