Suns Enter 2026 Offseason Carrying Heavy Dead Money After Roster Turnover
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Phoenix — May 2026. For the third straight spring, the Phoenix Suns head into an offseason defined by change and cost. A year after ditching the Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal experiments, the club must navigate $23.2 million in dead money while deciding whether to retain several key free agents.
Coaching Stability at Last
First-year head coach Jordan Ott provided a rare dose of continuity for a franchise that had dismissed Monty Williams in 2023, Frank Vogel in 2024 and Mike Budenholzer in 2025. Ott’s squad finished 45-37, posting the NBA’s ninth-rated defense and reaching the playoffs as the West’s No. 8 seed after a 1-1 play-in showing. Oklahoma City swept Phoenix in the first round, exposing the roster’s ceiling against an elite opponent.
How the Roster Was Remade
Last summer, Phoenix unloaded Durant and Beal along with veterans Tyus Jones, Jusuf Nurkic, Mason Plumlee, Damion Lee and Monte Morris. In their place came Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, Jordan Goodwin and Mark Williams, giving the league’s most expensive team of 2024 a younger, cheaper core.
Who Impressed in 2025-26
• Collin Gillespie enjoyed a breakout campaign ahead of unrestricted free agency.
• Goodwin, back for a second stint, provided value on a minimum deal.
• Brooks delivered much-needed edge and perimeter defense.
• Rookies Fleming and, to a lesser extent, Maluach flashed potential.
• Second-year big man Oso Ighodaro made visible strides.
The Financial Picture
Phoenix’s active salaries alone suggest room to maneuver, yet the Beal buyout—stretched over several seasons—keeps $23.2 million on the books. That figure pushes the Suns toward the first tax apron and limits their ability to exceed it when attempting to keep Gillespie, Goodwin and Williams or chase external upgrades.
The front office must now decide whether the current group can climb from plucky upstart to true contender or if further rebuilding is inevitable under the weight of lingering contractual obligations.
Source: Hoops Rumors
