Reaction: Suns Reaffirm All-In Approach With Trade

PHOENIX -- And here we go. The trade season has officially commenced for the Phoenix Suns following the reported move for Charlotte Hornets C Nick Richards.
Phoenix shipped out Josh Okogie and three second-round picks in the deal - that makes it clear that the franchise is not going to hit the reset button.
The steadfastness in staying the course in pursuit of bringing a title to Phoenix is certainly a risky move for franchise governor Mat Ishbia - there's no way around it.
From our own Brendan Mau:
"Phoenix only had three second-round picks to trade - its own in 2031 and Denver's in 2026 and 2031. It used all three in the trade, but did get one back from Charlotte, which is reported to be Denver's 2025."
The pay-off could be massive as well despite the risks of trading away an already depleted draft chest.
"Richards is owed $5 million this season and has one additional year remaining on his deal, so the Suns get a very team-friendly deal for his salary."
Phoenix now has two athletically-inclined centers with sizable upside in Richards and Oso Ighodaro to build around at cost-effective rates. They should serve as phenomenal rim-runners and screeners alongside a potent rotation on the perimeter. This could certainly work out well in the favor of Phoenix.
Deeper than rounding out a big rotation in desperate need for a boost, it also symbolizes the aggressive approach that they are sure to take ahead of the February 6 deadline.
Jimmy Butler will continue to be the top priority in terms of available targets - as his low-usage, high-impact playstyle on offense and versatile defensive repitoire will almost certainly improve the team substantially. The six-time All-Star would also being many intangible positives to the table, including potentially satisfying the overarching narrative that the Suns need more toughness and leadership.
Also expect Phoenix to approach avenues outside of acquiring Butler - as it is simply a hard truth that the current roster will not win a championship. It certainly is possible that Beal could be moved for a bevy of role players that fit the duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in strong fashion - getting out of Beal's contract would be a victory in and of itself in terms of creating future flexibility for the franchise.
The Suns are still possibly 2-to-3 moves away on top of Richards from becoming a true contender once again, so it will be of paramount importance to see what will transpire over the next three weeks.
One thing is for sure after this move - Ishbia is ready to move forward with the all-in approach. Now it's time to sit back and see what potential moves can be made to accelerate the process.