Taking a look back at every major trade by the Suns as Devin Booker remains the only player from 2021 finals run
The Phoenix Suns has become the third team t get involved in the Damian Lillard trade, which sent the All-Star guard to the Milwaukee Bucks after 11 years with the Portland Trail Blazers. As part of the deal, Phoenix acquired Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Keon Johnson and Grayson Allen, while they sent Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara to the Blazers.
Thus, they added some bench pieces to their roster, while Nurkic is expected to become the starting center. At the same time, the departure of Ayton means that fellow superstar Devin Booker is the only player who has remained with Phoenix from the team that played in the 2021 NBA Finals.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the trades the Phoenix Suns made after the 2021 NBA Finals and shaped their entire roster.
Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson
They were two of the best players on this Phoenix roster, but left the team last February as part of the blockbuster trade which also sent Kevin Durant to the Suns. Bridges and Johnson are cornerstone parts of the Nets' roster since they joined Brooklyn.
Jevon Carter
Carter spent two years with Phoenix (2019-2021), but the franchise traded him to the Nets for Landry Shamet in the summer of 2021. Meanwhile, Jae Crowder, a key part of the Suns' defense, played for the Suns for three years (2020-2023), but got involved in the Kevin Durant trade and the Suns sent him to the Bucks.
Dario Saric
Saric moved to Phoenix in the summer of 2019 after spending a year with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Three and a half years later, the Croatian big man, who missed significant time after an ACL injury sustained in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals, was sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder before the February trade deadline, with Phoenix acquiring Darius Bazley.
Jalen Smith
Smith joined Phoenix as the No.10 pick of the 2020 NBA Draft and split his time between the NBA and G-League. He stayed with the team until February 2022, when the franchise traded him to the Indiana Pacers, landing Torrey Craig as part of the deal.
Cameron Payne
He was the backup point guard and one of the Suns' most consistent players during his three years with the team (2020-2023). Although he was expected to stay with the franchise, Phoenix traded him to the San Antonio Spurs in July, alongside a 2025 second-round pick. Phoenix got a 2024 protected second-round pick as part of the trade.
Chris Paul
Paul was the other megastar who left the franchise this offseason. He was traded to the Washington Wizards as part of the deal that sent Bradley Beal to Phoenix, but he didn't stay with the team, as they traded him to the Golden State Warriors.
Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns emerge as favorites for NBA Finals rematch after Damian Lillard trade
Following the addition of Damian Lillard, the Milwaukee Bucks have significantly boosted their odds of winning the Eastern Conference and returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2021.
For their part, the Suns aim but the title with the signing of Bradley Beal and the presence of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Both teams have their own Big Three (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Lillard vs Booker, Beal, Durant), so a rematch of the 2021 NBA Finals wouldn't come as a surprise.
Milwaukee and Phoenix will take on each other for the first time in the 2023-24 season on February 7, 2024 at Fiserv Forum.