Mason Plumlee said the team’s talent prompted him to join the Phoenix Suns
Plumlee: “Guys that have won a lot. Guys that are in their prime… so I think that was really attractive to me.”
The Republic
While there are still several notable free agents left unsigned, the majority of NBA free agency contracts for 2024 have already been signed.
The Phoenix Suns, as the second team, were limited in what they could offer NBA free agents, but they still managed to sign Monte Morris and Mason Plumlee and re-sign Royce O’Neale, Damion Lee and Bol Bol.
The team also acquired Collin Gillespie in a two-way deal.
How do NBA journalists think the Suns did in NBA free agency?
Check out their numbers for Phoenix’s 2024 offseason transfers, featuring overall and individual numbers for the team’s transactions.
More NBA: Suns have NBA’s highest payroll with Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker
Sports News: Suns Earn a B+ for 2024 NBA Free Agency Acquisitions
Stephen Noh writes: “The Suns are a second-string team that has to rely on veteran minimums and re-signing their own guys to fill out the rest of their roster. They absolutely had to get O’Neale back, and they did a good job of that. They lost Drew Eubanks but replaced him with Plumlee on a cheap deal. Plumlee is a flawed player but a capable backup who can play a solid 15 minutes per game behind Jusuf Nurkic. And Morris was one of the best backup point guards in the league before injuries set him back. He’s a steal, to say the least.”
SB Nation: Suns score a C for Collin Gillespie signing as free agent in Phoenix
John Voita writes: “I remember this kid. He played for the Denver Nuggets last year and won a national championship with the Villanova Wildcats in 2018. The Suns signed him to one of their two remaining two-way contracts, so he’s basically this season’s version of Saben Lee. The backup to the backup point guard.”
Highest paid players in the NBA: Steph Curry, Kawhi Leonard and Nikola Jokic lead
Bleacher Report: Suns get an A- for Monte Morris deal in NBA free agency
It reads: “The Suns needed help at point guard. While Kyle Lowry would have been the ideal candidate for a minimum deal, Morris is a strong option. The 29-year-old played well in the final stretch following a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 5.1 points, 2.3 assists, 0.7 steals and shooting 42.4 percent from three in 15.1 minutes per game. Morris rarely loses the ball (just 1.1 turnovers per 36 minutes for his career), important for a Suns team that finished 25th in overall turnover percentage last season. Even if he doesn’t end up in a playoff rotation, Morris will be used extensively during the regular season as a backup point guard who can help the offense and create open shots.”
Sports Illustrated: Suns get a B for signing Mason Plumlee as NBA free agent
Kevin Hicks writes: “There are two ways to look at this signing – the Suns opt for Plumlee over former Orlando Magic C Goga Bitadze – or the franchise acquires one of the better options in this class at the veteran minimum to replace Eubanks. We lean toward the latter. Plumlee isn’t the same athlete he used to be, but is a solid team defender, remains a strong enough play finisher and has real passing talent.”
More: Devin Booker praises Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia’s response to Kevin Durant trade rumors
SB Nation: Suns Score B+ on Monte Morris Deal in NBA Free Agency
Ricky O’Donnell writes: “Morris is an elite point guard who has been a regular since his college days at Iowa State. He rarely loses the ball. At the same time, he doesn’t create much upside. His reliability as a decision-maker is complemented by solid catch-and-shoot ability, with a career 41 percent mark on spot-ups. Morris hasn’t been much of a factor in the playoffs for the Wolves, and that makes me worry that he may be on the decline at 29. Still, this is likely a cheap acquisition, and the Suns needed another ballhandler. They could have done worse than Morris.”
Sports News: Suns Get a B+ for Re-signing Royce O’Neale in NBA Free Agency
Stephen Noh writes: “This is a good value for the Suns. They had no way to replace O’Neale if he walked, so it was a smart move for them to get the 3-and-D wing at a reasonable rate. O’Neale hit 37.6 percent of his 3s after being acquired in a midseason trade. He did more than shoot, though, and filled a lot of holes for the team by doing a little bit of everything.”
Read more: Phoenix Suns bolster bench, re-sign two key players
Walter Football: Suns get an A- for re-signing Damion Lee as NBA free agent
It reads: “Stephen Curry’s brother-in-law is also quietly one of the best shooters in the league, and Lee continues to earn his keep. He’s coming off a serious injury, but as a shooter he could really help the Suns and their poor depth.”
Walter Football: Suns Earn a B+ for Bol Bol Re-Signs in NBA Free Agency
It reads: “Bol has been impressive for the Suns as a backup 5. He’s huge and has some really solid stats when he gets some minutes. Keeping a solid role player in a position where he needs to be is a nice contract to say the least.”
More: Phoenix Suns sign free agents Monte Morris, Mason Plumlee
Fansided: Suns make B-for deal with Mason Plumlee in NBA free agency
It reads: “Given the Suns’ financial limitations as a team in the secondary, filling out and upgrading the roster is daunting, so they’re forced to improvise and add cheap, ring-chasing veterans like Plumlee. While the big man may not be the nightly double-double threat he once was, he can still be a functional frontcourt depth piece, slotting in immediately as the backup five behind Jusuf Nurkic. Still, it underscores how brutal the position is for Phoenix, with an uphill battle to surround Kevin Durant and Devin Booker with talent.”
What do you think was the Suns’ best move in the 2024 NBA free agency?
Reach Jeremy Cluff at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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