Phoenix Suns forward Grayson Allen took less money to stay in the Valley.
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns now have another key member of their lineup locked in for the future.
Monday morning, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Suns had struck a four-year, $70 million deal to keep Grayson Allen around. Allen was a pending free agent heading into the offseason.
Allen was part of the three-team deal that sent him from the Milwaukee Bucks, which also netted the Suns Jusuf Nurkic in exchange for Deandre Ayton prior to the start of the season. Allen has played some of his best basketball to date in a Suns uniform, establishing himself as one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA.
“After landing with his fourth team in six seasons, Allen, 28, was eager to re-sign as part of a lineup of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal that allows him tremendous space and room to operate on the court. His 46.1% on 3-pointers led the NBA this season.
“Allen’s signing comes with massive luxury tax implications for owner Mat Ishbia. The Suns could’ve replaced him only with minimum contract free agents, so his re-signing was vital to the franchise’s ability to keep its core together. Allen’s $15.6 million salary in the first year of the deal will cost the Suns $79 million in payroll and tax — running Ishbia’s projected 2024-25 payroll to $206 million with an additional $104 million in luxury tax. That will be the highest in the league.”
Big numbers, for sure, though Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro says Allen could have gotten more money.
“Grayson Allen took less to remain in Phoenix and play for the Suns. He was looking at four years for $80-$85 million in the open market and took the same years at $70 million to stay here,” he said in a tweet.
There was some tough discourse on whether the financially-strapped Suns would retain Allen, though it’s clear Phoenix had no hesitation in bringing back the sharpshooter.
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