Suns Could Take Unique Path at Trade Deadline

Rather than using a player, the Phoenix Suns could look to move their trade exception gained from the Cameron Payne deal.

PHOENIX -- As the NBA's Feb. 8 trade deadline crawls closer, you'll see plenty of trade talk around the league - and the Phoenix Suns are no exception.

Currently sitting at 27-20 on the year, Phoenix has shaken their early season injury woes and have bounced back as of late after winning their last eight-of-ten.

Their star trio of Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker continues to find continuity on the court while various role players shuffle for positioning in the rotation come playoff time. 

Thanks to their positioning in the luxury tax and lack of draft capital, the Suns don't exactly have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to trade resources.

Phoenix has reportedly been shopping Nassir Little and a handful of second-round picks they still own, though ESPN's Brian Windhorst suggested the team could look to take a different route.

In his article going through each team's most likely player to be dealt, the Suns didn't have a player listed, but rather the $6.5 million trade exception acquired in the Cameron Payne trade over the summer from the San Antonio Spurs. 

"The Suns can't trade any first-round picks, plus they have a full roster, very limited trade options and a $50 million tax bill. But owner Mat Ishbia is very aggressive, and the front office is creative," wrote Windhorst. 

In short, the $6.5 million exception can theoretically represent the salary of a player in a trade and can be combined with picks/cash/players so long as Phoenix has an open roster spot. 

The exception will expire at the end of this season - so the Suns would need to use it by the trade deadline. It's not often you see NBA trades with exceptions included, though it's a unique way for teams deep in the luxury tax to navigate the trade market. 

Phoenix has to like the overall upward trend of play from their roster now that they're finally healthy, though it will be interesting to see if changes are made to the lineup before the end of next week.

More on who the Suns could target at the deadline:

NBA Insider Reveals List of Suns Trade Targets