2023 NBA Free Agency- Phoenix Suns have exercised Ish Wainright's $1.9 million team option

The Phoenix Suns, after back-to-back trades for Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, are scrambling to fill out their roster. They just exercised a $1.9 million team option on backup small forward Ish Wainwright.

The Suns now have six players under contract heading next season. Mat Ishbia’s team is already over $10 million past the $165 million luxury tax threshold with still more than half the roster to be signed.

Suns general manager James Johnson could also bring back Cameron Payne who is only guaranteed $2 million out of his $6.5 million deal. Phoenix will likely continue looking for players who can command only around the veteran minimum due to the contracts of KD, Beal, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.

The aforementioned quartet has already taken up $163 million of the Phoenix Suns’ payroll next season. Re-signing Jock Landale, Torrey Craig and T.J. Warren will be brutal to the team. Warren and Craig are unrestricted free agents who are likely to get paid more than Phoenix can afford.

Landale is a restricted free agent, which allows the Suns to match offers for the Australian. However, after another solid season as a backup big man, he may have played out of Phoenix’s reach.

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The Phoenix Suns are looking at former lottery picks to add to their lineup

The Phoenix Suns will reportedly hold a workout for Jabari Parker and Stanley Johnson. Parker, the No. 2 pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, didn’t play last season. No team was willing to give him a contract.

Parker played 12 games for the Boston Celtics during the 2021-22 season and has played just 31 games since 2019.

Johnson, on the other hand, has been much more relevant than the former Celtic. The No. 8 pick of the 2015 draft played 30 games for the San Antonio Spurs last season. Johnson’s shooting stood out with the Spurs. He hit 53.3% of his shots, including 45.0% from deep.

The Phoenix Suns could sign Jabari Parker and Stanley Johnson just so they have players coming off the bench. Willie Cauley-Stein, Ty Jerome, DJ Augustin and Meyers Leonard are other names that have been linked to the Suns’ search for roster spots.

The Suns could trade Deandre Ayton for a little breathing room in the salary cap and flexibility. Reports indicate, however, that new coach Frank Vogel has big plans for the center next season.

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