They flat out sold the 27th pick to Portland, for a reported $3 million.

There are so many different ways that's amazing:

• (If first round picks were for sale, how did the Knicks not buy? They could have had Maurice Ager, Alexander Johnson, or someone else.)
• Mike D'Antoni came on TV, coolly explained that there were some players they wanted, those players weren't available, so they didn't want to tie up a roster spot and salary. The unwavering and steely trust in their scouting department demonstrates true leadership. Phenomonal. Us fans, we all want a million draft picks, in case someone develops into a star. We don't know who that will be. Phoenix? They're acting like they know who that will and won't be.
• They acted like a Phoenix roster spot is precious, and as I have written before, that's how champions act. Paul Coro quotes Mike D'Antoni like this:"We have a problem that we have too many good players..." D'Antoni said they did not want to "get a young player who's going to eat up some room and just sit there and not get any time and not develop."
• They made an incredible trade with Boston: Boston takes on a contract they didn't want (Brian Grant), and takes the 21st pick (which they reportedly would have used on Shannon Brown--it became ) in a weak draft, in exchange for Cleveland's top-ten protected pick in one of the strongest drafts in memory, next year. Phoenix now has three first-round picks in that draft. The other one is Atlanta's, and it's only protected in the top three. They could end up with a game-changing player like Joakim Noah next year.
• They save a bunch of money, in real dollars, and against the luxury tax, at a time when they need to give big contracts to Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa.
• Most of all, they explained themselves so well that it all makes sense. Can you imagine if the Knicks had just sold their first-round pick? Fans would revolt! They'd riot in the streets! They'd  tar and feather Isiah Thomas. (They might anyway.) But the Suns shared their vision with their fans quickly, and to me, at least, it was convincing. Well done, Suns.