The Suns’ Unfair Tax, and Why They Deserve a Break

I’ve spent years turning raw box scores into visual stories — from live play-by-play heatmaps to predictive win probability engines. But nothing hits harder than watching a team like Phoenix burn through its future simply because they didn’t get a fair shake.

They paid the tax. Twice. They traded away their golden boy — Durant — for long-term stability. And where’s the compensation? Not in cash. Not in promises. Just silence.

This isn’t just sports drama. It’s systemic imbalance.

The 10th Pick Isn’t Enough—It’s Survival

At first glance, landing the 10th pick seems like progress. But let me be blunt: That one pick won’t fix a franchise bleeding value.

The Suns don’t have their own draft capital anymore — no tradeable picks on hand to leverage or rebuild with. That means every move is reactive, not strategic.

Imagine being stuck with only one key to unlock your door… and someone else holding all the spare keys.

That’s where we are now: Phoenix has no control over its own timeline.

A Blueprint for Redemption (Using Data)

Let me lay out what I’d build if I were in charge:

• 10th pick: Grab Manu Ajavon — elite defensive wing with scoring upside at four-forward spot.
• Target small-market bargain: If available, lure in Jalen Green or Samuell Williamson as low-cost rotation pieces.
• Maximize Devin Booker: Run him like a top-tier scorer until he hits market value again — then cash him in before cap penalties hit.
• Let Chris Paul walk when his deal expires — not out of disrespect, but realism.
• 2027 draft: Use it as bait to land a true franchise cornerstone via tanking or trade package manipulation – yes, even if it looks ugly.

This isn’t failure; it’s evolution through data-backed sacrifice.

The Real Problem: No Control = No Future

You can’t rebuild by borrowing time from others’ futures when you’re already underwater on equity. There’s no algorithm that fixes structural inequality in player movement systems.

And here’s my hot take: When teams pay more than their peers and carry more risk… they should earn more flexibility back from the league itself—especially after losing core players without compensation.

current NBA rulebook doesn’t reward loyalty or long-term planning—it rewards short-term aggression and deep pockets. The Suns did both—and still lost? to be clear: This is about fairness, not sentimentality.