Magic Johnson Grades Suns’ “Small” Trade Deadline Movement After Royce O’Neale Addition

Before the clock hit 1 PM on Thursday, the Phoenix Suns made their move and went in for a three-team deal right before the NBA trade deadline. The veteran forward Royce O’Neale of the Brooklyn Nets has been acquired by the Phoenix Suns and Magic Johnson has weighed in on the trade and has an interesting take on it!

As per NBA legend Magic Johnson, the trade with O’Neale may seem “small” on the face of it, but he further adds, “he is a fierce competitor who will make a big impact on their team defensively!”

At the start of this season, the Phoenix Suns seemed pretty top-heavy with Kevin Durant, Booker, and Beal on the roster. 5th in the Western Conference, the Suns’ have got their eyes on the prize, and O’Neale could be the missing piece to their Championship puzzle.

O’Neale is the kind of archetypal three-and-D wing that any team would love to have in their supporting cast. In his 49 appearances during the 2023-24 season, the veteran forward averages 7.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and has a career 3-point shooting average of 38.1%.

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Not only that, but in his second season in the NBA while playing for the Utah Jazz, he shot 47.5% and averaged higher 3-point attempts in his two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets (5.5 in the 2022-23 season and 5.4 in the 2023-24 season) than his five seasons in Utah (4.0 highest in 2021-22).

Royce O’Neal is a proven defender who has sailed through the playoffs in the past. If the Suns decide to sit out Grayson Allen, O’Neale might just be the right support system for the starry Suns lineup.

The seven-year veteran defender is in his final year of a four-year, $36 million contract and will be an unrestricted free agent post this season.

One player’s loss, another team’s win

The Phoenix Suns had been eyeing the Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges however, the Hornets decided to keep Miles to either re-sign him or sign and trade him in the upcoming summer. While it seemed like a great fit for the Suns, acquiring Bridges may not have been the answer to their problems.

The Suns also traded in David Roddy from the Memphis Grizzlies and sent out Keita Bates-Diop, Yuta Watanabe, Jordan Goodwin, and Chimezie Metu in the 3-team trade.

Royce O’Neale and Sun’s superstar Kevin Durant go as far back as last season when they both played for the Brooklyn Nets before KD was traded to the Sun at the beginning of 2023. Could the two former teammates prove to be a successful duo and help the Suns bring in the Championship this year? Comment your thoughts below!

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