Report: Phoenix Suns Seeking To Trade Into First Round of 2026 NBA Draft

The Phoenix Suns are entering what is expected to be yet another consequential offseason, roughly two months after the 2025-26 campaign wrapped up with a first-round playoff exit to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Phoenix is still months away from reaching the second campaign for general manager Brian Gregory and head coach Jordan Ott, but crucial roster construction decisions will have to be made in the days (and weeks) to come. The general sentiment is that continuity will be what is prioritized (re-signing Jordan Goodwin/Collin Gillespie), but there are major decisions that need to be made pertaining to next week's draft as well.

The Suns are currently slated to own just one pick (No. 47), which would be made next Wednesday, although NBA insider Jake Fischer reported via the Stein Line that the franchise is seeking to move up into the first round. 

This has been a hotly debated topic amongst the Suns fandom in recent weeks, with some arguing that the overall strength of this class should justify making a bold move to acquire more high-ceiling talent that is cost-effective, while opponents point towards the fairly bare draft chest that remains after unloading multiple first-round selections for Kevin Durant three years ago. 

Local insider John Gambadoro didn't quite shut down the possibility of trading into the first round later on Thursday - he did make a point to state that this isn't necessarily a priority, however. 

The major drawing point to trading up resides in finding ways to bridge the current timeline of being a playoff contender with designs of potentially re-emerging as a legitimate title contender within the next three seasons. The truth is that Devin Booker is approaching 30 and that other key core members such as Dillon Brooks are already grizzled veterans themselves. 

The young core is more intriguing now than it was 12 months ago without much room for debate, as Rasheer Fleming, Khaman Maluach, Ryan Dunn, Oso Ighodaro, and Koby Brea are all at various stages in their development.

While this crop is far from hopeless, it would be a welcome sign to add a battle-tested collegiate star into the fold, with All-Big 12 forward Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State) being a name that jumps off of the page. 

There's little to no doubt that this is the draft to trade up in, but it would be a calculated risk for the Suns to do so - parting with more capital to move up roughly 20 spots will place even more of a magnifying glass on the franchise.

At the end of the day, Gregory has done little to nothing to prove he isn't trustworthy in the driver's seat, but this draft will bring a different layer of pressure compared to what was seen last June.

Join The SunsRoundtable

Head over to the SunsRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button under the featured story... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other Suns fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.

Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X at khicks_21.