Summer calendar ahead of Suns’ bounce-back season

We’ve given this Phoenix Suns organization the proper amount of flack for their no-show in the last two games of the Western Conference Semifinals vs the Dallas Mavericks.

Sometimes, the best thing to do is just move on and try to be better. James Jones will lead the Suns through a long summer in trying to improve the team. What will it look like? Glad you asked.

June 13 @ 2:00 p.m. (all times AZ) — Deadline for draft prospects to withdraw (June 1 @ 8:59 p.m. for prospects who want to retain NCAA eligibility)

These dates are especially important for the Suns, since most of the players considering withdrawal come from the undrafted pool, where the team will be picking their only — if any — rookies.

June 23 — NBA Draft

Suns currently have no picks, but they can trade into the draft and sign undrafted free agents. I’ll be sure to help introduce some of the candidates as we go throughout the process, as I’m sure others at the site will as well.

I’ve already been doing some scouting reports over at Zona’s site, ZonaHoops.com. Here’s an example, profiling Murray State guard Tevin Brown, who participated in the G League Elite Camp in Chicago, IL this week. Here’s how Brown did in the Monday scrimmage:

July 29 — Last day for teams to make qualifying offers to restricted free agents

This is a big date for Deandre Ayton. He will certainly get his $16.2 million qualifying offer to keep him a restricted free agent.

We’ll get more into this in the coming weeks, but Ayton likely won’t receive the max from Phoenix before another team offers it, if at all.

It’s also the deadline for certain early termination options on some player contracts.

June 30 @ 3:00 p.m. — Teams can begin negotiating with free agents

It’s also the last day of the 2021-22 league year, which I’m sure Suns fans are ready to put behind them.

July 1 — Moratorium period begins

Restricted free agents, like Ayton, can begin negotiating offer sheets, and teams can sign rookie contracts, minimum contracts (where the Suns will likely be doing a lot of their business since they’ll likely be operating above the salary cap), and two-way contracts — like Ish Wainright (for the regular season) and Iffe Lundberg.

Trades can be agreed upon, starting this day.

July 6 @ 9:01 a.m. — Moratorium period ends; free agency bonanza begins!

Teams can officially begin signing players, extending players, and completing trades. The 48-hour offer sheet matching deadline begins for restricted free agents, like Ayton.

Also, trades can be finalized... and can continue happening until late October, though most of the action will happen by second week of July.

July 7-17 — Las Vegas Summer League

It’s hard to know what Phoenix’s roster will look like this far in advance, but I’m hoping it includes at least Wainright, Lundberg, and at least one undrafted free agent; Suns didn’t even bring in one undrafted free agent last summer.

Late September — Training camp opens back up

And the ‘Avenge the Revenge’ tour begins.