Breaking down this summer’s imminent Phoenix Suns free agents, including former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton.
For the second consecutive year, the Phoenix Suns were NBA championship contenders. Building upon their Finals appearance in 2021, the Valley boys won a league-best 64 games, Devin Booker notched another All-Star appearance, Chris Paul continued to cheat Father Time, and ascendant role players like Mikal Bridges took major steps forward.
Unfortunately, things ended for them prematurely in the Western Conference Semifinals the hands of the frisky Dallas Mavericks, who simply would not be denied.
That means head coach (and 2022 NBA Coach of the Year) Monty Williams and front office boss James Jones now have to build an offseason plan based on two main pillars: Making a key decision regarding restricted free agent center and former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton and finding the best path to continued title contention as living legend point guard CP3’s career draws nearer to its end.
With that in mind, check out Boardroom’s full breakdown of upcoming Suns free agents, as well as a snapshot of the team’s salary cap outlook as things currently stand.
2022 Phoenix Suns Free Agents
Contract and salary figures via Spotrac unless otherwise noted. Restricted free agent status designates that a player’s current team reserves the right to match any rival team’s contract offer sheet in order to prevent that player’s departure.
1. C Deandre Ayton (restricted)
- Age: 24
- Expiring Contract: 4 years, $40,379,230
- 2021-22 Salary: $12,632,950
2. C Bismack Biyombo (unrestricted)
- Age: 30
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $1,366,392
- 2021-22 Salary: $1,366,692
3. PG Aaron Holiday (restricted)
- Age: 26
- Expiring Contract: 4 years, $10,477,351
- 2021-22 Salary: $3,980,551
4. C JaVale McGee (unrestricted)
- Age; 34
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $5,000,000
- 2021-22 Salary: $5,000,000
5, PG Elfrid Payton (unrestricted)
- Age: 28
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $2,239,544
- 2021-22 Salary: $2,239,544
6. G Ish Wainright (restricted)
- Age: 28
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $707,893 (via HoopsHype)
- 2021-22 Salary: $707,893
- NOTE: Wainright was also paid by the Raptors this season
Phoenix Suns 2022 Salary Cap Numbers
All dollar figures and cap estimates via Spotrac as of April 18. Reflects a “soft” salary cap of $112.414 million, a luxury tax threshold of $136.606 million, and a $143.002 million luxury tax apron for hard-capped teams.
- Active contracts: $129,167,050
- Cap hold: $59,335,847
- Total salary cap usage: $129,167,050
- Estimated 2021-22 luxury tax bill: $0 ($19,832,950 under luxury tax threshold)
- Salary on the books for 2022-23: $129,167,050
Click here to read Boardroom’s full breakdown of NBA salary cap spending by team this season.