Grayson Allen is having a breakout season with the Phoenix Suns. This season, he’s putting up 13.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting 50.5% from the field. All of which are career highs.
However, because his contract expires in 2024, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley explained why Allen’s contributions make him among the biggest flight risks in free agency.
“While this could all be interpreted as reasons for Phoenix to bring him back, doing so could be more costly than even this big-spending squad can stomach. Any team with shooting concerns and financial flexibility should make Allen a priority target (if not the priority target).
“Meanwhile, the Suns might have to pass on adding another big-money deal to their ledger,” Buckley wrote in a March 18 story.
Buckley added evidence that supports the idea that Allen’s contributions help Phoenix when he plays.
“Allen has made all of these stats matter, too. The Suns outscore opponents by 3.9 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor compared to only 0.7 per 100 when he isn’t.”
Allen is in the last year of a two-year, $17 million contract extension he signed with the Bucks in 2022. He will enter the 2024 NBA Offseason as an unrestricted free agent.
Grayson Allen Floated as ‘Dream’ Nets Target
The Brooklyn Nets are among the teams that will have cap space this coming offseason. Given the team needs, they could look into adding Allen to the team.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey explained why he thinks Allen is the Nets’ “dream” free agent taret.
“Whether Ben Simmons is more available or not (the latter sure feels more likely right now), the Brooklyn Nets should be interested in adding shooting. And Grayson Allen has been one of the league’s best volume shooters for half a decade.
“At 47.8 percent, he’s leading the league in three-point percentage this season. And since the start of 2019-20, he’s making 2.2 triples per game with a 41.9 three-point percentage,” Bailey wrote in a March 19 story.
The Nets have not fared well since blowing up their squad with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. They are 26-43, which ranks them as the No. 11 seed in the Eastern Conference. They are four-and-a-half games outside of the play-in, which may or may not tell them that it’s time to rebuild. If they decide otherwise, Allen could be a target.
Analyst Delves Into Potential Grayson Allen Extension
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus explained why he could see the Suns doing everything they could to keep Allen around.
“Given how well Grayson Allen has fit in with the Suns this season, the team would presumably want to get him back under contract as quickly as possible. Even with the team’s sky-high payroll, Allen isn’t someone Phoenix can replace via trade or free agency (under the new collective bargaining agreement rules),” Pincus wrote in a March 16 story.
Pincus added that it might not be so easy for the Suns knowing what Allen could fetch on the open market.
“Allen might be open to the restriction limiting the Suns’ offer to four years (he can get five in free agency), but the challenge is the extension limit. He’ll be eligible for $16.7 million starting (off of the estimated average player salary) in an extension, but Allen will be a top-10 free agent this summer.
“Will he get more from a team with cap room? His representation is probably willing to explore that possibility.”
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Breakout Suns Guard Considered Among ‘Biggest Flight Risks’