Buckley’s deal would bring Bradley Beal and three second-round picks to the Spurs in exchange for Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes and Julian Champagnie. The trade itself is probably not what Spurs fans would hope for from a Johnson deal, and it would negatively impact their depth, as he, Barnes and Champagnie will all be part of their rotation.

Buckley points out that although Beal is technically superior to all three players, he is due $161 million over the next three years of his contract. That would shock any team, as Beal is not the same player he was four seasons ago when he led the league in scoring. His performance has steadily declined, he is 31 years old, and he has also struggled with injuries in recent years.

That makes Beal’s contract a negative one, which is why the Suns have to include three second-round picks, which is pretty much all of their remaining assets. Whether that’s enough is unclear, as is whether the Spurs would value Beal. The Suns could fill several holes in their rotation by adding two wings and a center. That could make for a better team, as the Suns could build a bigger roster around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, but the question is why the Spurs and the Suns would agree to the deal.