Suns’ Trade For Additional Picks Makes It Seem As If Larger Deal Looms

January 21, 2025

The Phoenix Suns have finalized a trade with the Utah Jazz, sending their 2031 unprotected first-round pick to Utah in exchange for three future first-round selections, according to reports from ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania and official confirmations from both teams.

The Suns are acquiring the following three picks:

The least favorable first-round pick from the Cleveland Cavaliers or Minnesota Timberwolves in 2025.
The least favorable first-round pick from the Jazz, Cavaliers, or Timberwolves in 2027.
The least favorable first-round pick from the Jazz, Cavaliers, or Timberwolves in 2029.

With this trade, Phoenix now controls first-round picks in each of the next six drafts, providing them with increased flexibility for future trades.

The Suns are currently operating over the second tax apron, which limits their ability to aggregate contracts or take back more salary than they send out, making this move important for future maneuvering in the trade market.

The Suns’ only other tradable asset is a 2025 second-round pick they acquired in a recent trade for center Nick Richards, which is expected to be Denver’s second-round pick.

This trade could be pivotal in facilitating a potential deal for Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler.

Reports suggest that the Heat are looking for multiple picks plus two players in exchange for Butler, and any deal would likely involve at least four teams. The Suns would likely have to include Bradley Beal in such a trade, though Beal would need to approve the move due to his no-trade clause.

Meanwhile, Butler, who recently returned from a team-imposed seven-game suspension, is reportedly still seeking a trade, with Phoenix being his preferred destination.

For the Jazz, the incentive to make this deal stems from the lack of protections on the 2031 first-round pick. The Suns’ pick, projected to be one of the last in the first round, holds significant upside, particularly with Phoenix’s current roster in question for long-term sustainability.