Suns replenish empty draft coffers with unusual trade with Grizzlies

Woj clarified that the swaps the Grizzlies acquired — which were already included in the Wizards trade for Beal — will be for the rights to swap with the lesser between the Washington and Phoenix picks during those years.

It’s not everyday you see a team take out the equivalent of a second mortgage on first-rounders that they had just offered up to another team weeks prior.

The deal all but ensures that the Suns will get a late pick in both those drafts, given that they’re automatically getting the worst pick among those owned by all three teams. It shouldn’t be an issue for the 2024 pick with Phoenix projected to be higher up in the standings than the Wizards and Grizzlies.

But in 2030, it is anybody’s guess what the state of the league will be. The worst-case scenario would be that the Suns end up as one of two teams in the lottery that year while the third ends up with a pick in the high 20s. Phoenix would have to settle for that late pick.

The fact that Phoenix is willing to risk that in exchange for a smattering of second-rounders proves how deep they are in win-now mode. Those picks could be used to acquire role players at the trade deadline, which could be vital for a top-heavy team like the Suns who still have a lot to figure out once the season begins.