Kofi Inkoom
Free agent forward Royce O’Neale plans to sign a four-year, $44 million contract to stay with the Phoenix Suns, as reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The deal, confirmed by Zach Lowe of ESPN, will be fully guaranteed and lacks options for either the team or the player.
Ranked 19th on this year’s list of top 50 free agents, O’Neale has been a consistent presence since joining the league in 2017, playing in at least 69 games each season with stints in Utah, Brooklyn, and now Phoenix. The Suns acquired him from Brooklyn in a trade last February.
Known for his versatility on defense and ability to guard larger wings and forwards, O’Neale isn’t a major offensive threat, averaging no more than 8.8 points per game in any season. However, he boasts a solid career three-point shooting percentage of 38.1%.
With Phoenix expected to operate above the second tax apron in the 2024/25 season, retaining O’Neale and Grayson Allen became crucial, as they wouldn’t have had the cap space to replace them with equivalent players in free agency. The Suns extended Allen in April and have now secured O’Neale’s return as well.
Given O’Neale’s anticipated interest from other teams, Phoenix had to offer a competitive four-year deal to fend off rival offers. This move reflects the Suns’ commitment to maintaining their roster amid financial constraints heading into free agency.
Looking ahead to free agency, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports suggests that Monte Morris and Aaron Holiday could be targets for the Suns at point guard, with Phoenix limited to veteran’s minimum signings due to salary cap penalties.