2017–18 Phoenix Suns season

2017–18 Phoenix Suns season
Head coach	Earl Watson
General manager	Ryan McDonough
Owners	Robert Sarver
Arena	Talking Stick Resort Arena
Results
Record	0–0
Place	Division: T–1st (Pacific) Conference: T–1st (Western)
Playoff finish	TBD
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	Fox Sports Arizona
Radio	KTAR

The 2017–18 Phoenix Suns season is the 50th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as their 25th season at the Talking Stick Resort Arena. It is also their third season in five years where the Suns would earn themselves a Top 5 draft pick in the NBA Draft, with the possibility of them getting the #1 pick being on the table.

Key dates

• April 14, 2017: Devin Booker is confirmed to represent the Phoenix Suns during the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery.
• April 17, 2017: Phoenix Suns' general manager Ryan McDonough would continue staying as the team's general manager and President of Basketball Operations for at least this season.
• April 18, 2017: Steve Albert announces his retirement from broadcasting.
• May 16, 2017: The NBA Draft Lottery takes place, with the Suns holding the second-best chances at the #1 pick and a guaranteed Top 5 pick heading their way in their worst-case scenario.
• June 22, 2017: The 2017 NBA Draft takes place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
• July 1, 2017: The NBA free agency period has begun.
• July 6, 2017: The July Moratorium Period begins, which means that players can now sign up with their new teams this season.

Offseason

Draft picks

Main article: 2017 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position(s)	Nationality	College / Club
1	1-5
2	32
2	54

The Phoenix Suns would enter the draft with only one first round pick and two second round picks this season. Their first round pick would potentially become their first #1 pick in franchise history, with the worst-case scenario still allowing them a Top 5 pick this season moving forward. Meanwhile, their first second round pick was given to them for having the second-worst record of the season last season despite having a better record than their previous season. Finally, their second (and final) second round pick was given to them by the Toronto Raptors for trading defensive small forward P.J. Tucker to them in exchange for their second round picks in 2017 & 2018, as well as a traded player's exception that was worth $1,000,000. The Raptors' second round pick would win the tiebreaker spot over both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers, but ultimately lost out to the Boston Celtics for Pick 53 that year. Speaking of which, the Suns were also initially planned to get the Minnesota Timberwolves' second round selection for this year, but traded it away in a different trade with the Boston Celtics (back when it was still considered to be a first round draft pick) in order to get Brandan Wright on the team under the same season they first acquired Isaiah Thomas.

Free agency

Main article: List of 2017–18 NBA season transactions

This season, the only player on the Suns that's 100% going to become an unrestricted free agent as of the end of the 2016–17 NBA season is the twice-returning Ronnie Price. However, in terms of restricted free agents, both centers Oleksiy "Alex" Len and Alan Williams have opportunities to remain with the team if the Suns want them to stay on the team. In addition to them, veteran guard Leandro Barbosa, as well as small forward Derrick Jones Jr. and Elijah Millsap all have team options in regards to whether they remain on the team for another season or not.

Roster

Phoenix Suns roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From G 8 Allen, Grayson 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 198 lb (90 kg) 1995-10-08 Duke G 3 Beal, Bradley 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 207 lb (94 kg) 1993-06-28 Florida F/C 11 Bol, Bol 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1999-11-16 Oregon G 1 Booker, Devin 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 206 lb (93 kg) 1996-10-30 Kentucky F 15 Bridges, Jalen (TW) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 2001-05-14 Baylor G/F 0 Dunn, Ryan 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 2003-01-07 Virginia F 35 Durant, Kevin 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1988-09-29 Texas G — Gillespie, Collin (TW) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 2003-01-07 Villanova F/C 4 Ighodaro, Oso 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 2002-07-14 Marquette G 21 Jones, Tyus 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 196 lb (89 kg) 1996-05-10 Duke G/F 10 Lee, Damion 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1992-10-21 Louisville G 38 Lee, Saben (FA) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 183 lb (83 kg) 1999-06-23 Vanderbilt F — Liddell, E. J. 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 2000-12-18 Ohio State G/F 25 Little, Nassir 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 2000-02-11 North Carolina G 23 Morris, Monté 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 183 lb (83 kg) 1995-06-27 Iowa State C 20 Nurkić, Jusuf 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 290 lb (132 kg) 1994-08-23 Bosnia and Herzegovina G 2 Okogie, Josh 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 213 lb (97 kg) 1998-09-01 Georgia Tech F 00 O'Neale, Royce 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 226 lb (103 kg) 1993-06-05 Baylor F/C — Plumlee, Mason 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 254 lb (115 kg) 1990-03-05 Duke G — Washington, TyTy Jr. (TW) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 2001-11-15 Kentucky

Head coach Mike Budenholzer Assistant coach(es) Chaisson Allen Brent Barry David Fizdale Chad Forcier Mike Hopkins Vince Legarza James Posey Schuyler Rimmer Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended (GL) On assignment to G League affiliate (TW) Two-way affiliate player Injured Roster Last transaction: August 6, 2024

Salaries

Player	2017–18 Salary
Eric Bledsoe	$14,000,000
Brandon Knight	$12,606,250
Tyson Chandler	$12,415,000
Jared Dudley	$10,470,000
Oleksiy "Alex" Len	$4,823,621
Dragan Bender	$4,276,320
Leandro Barbosa	$4,000,000
Marquese Chriss	$2,941,440
Devin Booker	$2,148,360
T. J. Warren	$2,128,920
Tyler Ulis	$918,369
Alan Williams	$874,636
Ronnie Price	$693,682
Derrick Jones Jr.	$543,471
Elijah Millsap	$23,069
Total	$77,140,018

This season will be the first season since the 2011–12 season where the Suns would no longer pay for the contract they first gave to Michael Beasley, since they officially paid the total amount needed to remove him on their roster on September 3, 2013, which was $2,333,333 total. While his situation was different from the amnesty of Josh Childress during the same season they first signed Beasley onto their team, much like Josh Childress' amnesty buyout, they would no longer have to pay him again since his value was fully paid off.

Regular season

Standings

Pacific Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div	GP
y – Golden State Warriors	58	24	.707	–	29‍–‍12	29‍–‍12	13–3	82
Los Angeles Clippers	42	40	.512	16.0	22‍–‍19	20‍–‍21	12–4	82
Los Angeles Lakers	35	47	.427	23.0	20‍–‍21	15‍–‍26	6–10	82
Sacramento Kings	27	55	.329	31.0	14‍–‍27	13‍–‍28	5–11	82
Phoenix Suns	21	61	.256	37.0	10‍–‍31	11‍–‍30	4–12	82

Western Conference
#	Team	W	L	PCT	GB	GP
1	z – Houston Rockets *	65	17	.793	–	82
2	y – Golden State Warriors *	58	24	.707	7.0	82
3	y – Portland Trail Blazers *	49	33	.598	16.0	82
4	x – Oklahoma City Thunder	48	34	.585	17.0	82
5	x – Utah Jazz	48	34	.585	17.0	82
6	x – New Orleans Pelicans	48	34	.585	17.0	82
7	x – San Antonio Spurs	47	35	.573	18.0	82
8	x – Minnesota Timberwolves	47	35	.573	18.0	82
9	Denver Nuggets	46	36	.561	19.0	82
10	Los Angeles Clippers	42	40	.512	23.0	82
11	Los Angeles Lakers	35	47	.427	30.0	82
12	Sacramento Kings	27	55	.329	38.0	82
13	Dallas Mavericks	24	58	.293	41.0	82
14	Memphis Grizzlies	22	60	.268	43.0	82
15	Phoenix Suns	21	61	.256	44.0	82