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Tim Bontemps, ESPN
The Phoenix Suns acquired Royce O’Neale from the Brooklyn Nets and David Roddy from the Memphis Grizzlies for a trio of second-round picks, sources confirmed to ESPN.
As part of the deal, Brooklyn is receiving Keita Bates-Diop and Jordan Goodwin, while Yuta Watanabe and Chimezie Metu will go to Memphis.
O’Neale, 30, is a proven volume 3-point shooter and defender on the wing and is the kind of depth player who should fit nicely alongside Phoenix’s star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, and could quickly become part of the team’s closing lineups — especially if Phoenix tries to play small with Kevin Durant at center in certain matchups.
After acquiring Beal this past offseason, Phoenix went well past the newly created second apron, greatly limiting Phoenix’s flexibility moving forward. The Suns will have several roster spots open to pursue players on the buyout market, but the new rules governing them will limit Phoenix to being able to sign players who made less than the average player salary of $12.4 million this season.
That rules out possible options on the market, for example, like guards Spencer Dinwiddie and Kyle Lowry.
Roddy, meanwhile, was the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft and is averaging 8.4 points and shooting 30% from 3-point range this season and gives Phoenix another potential young player to develop over time on a roster devoid of them after the many moves the Suns have made over the past calendar year.
