NBA Free Agency: Suns, Royce O’Neale, Rockets, Blazers

Suns

The Suns intend to sign forward Royce O’Neale to a four-year, $44 million contract, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The deal includes no options but is fully guaranteed, added ESPN’s Zach Lowe.

O’Neale was acquired in a trade with the Nets in February, and while he doesn’t add a whole lot offensively, he’s a veteran and considered one of the league’s top defenders of opposing forwards.

• Wrote Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors: “Because Phoenix projects to operate over the second tax apron in 2024/25, the team would have had no means to replace O’Neale or Grayson Allen with an equivalent player in free agency, so there was an expectation that both players would be re-signed. The Suns extended Allen in April and have now reached a deal to retain O’Neale as well.”

Rockets

• The Rockets are expected to exercise their $7 million team option on forward Jae’Sean Tate, per Wojnarowski. Along with the option, Tate could earn $500,000 in incentives, which would bring his cap hit to $7.57 million.
• Tate’s role actually decreased a bit last season, averaging just 15.9 minutes in 65 games. But the Rockets clearly value him as a reserve, and at the right price. Along with that, his expiring contract immediately becomes a trade asset, should Houston go that route.

Trail Blazers

• The Trail Blazers are exercising their $2.2 million team option on point guard Dalano Banton, per Wojnarowski. His deal now becomes partially guaranteed at $217,533.
• GM Joe Cronin said the Blazers are “not good enough to be content at any one position,” after the NBA Draft and trade for Deni Avdija. We have that full story here.