Here is Phoenix's payroll for the next 4 years.
Player 2007/08
Shawn Marion $16,440,000
Amare Stoudemire $13,260,000
Steve Nash $11,375,000
Boris Diaw $9,000,000
Leandrinho Barbosa $5,600,000
Raja Bell $4,750,000
Marcus Banks $3,888,000
Grant Hill $1,830,000
Eric Piatkowski $1,219,590
Sean Marks
Alando Tucker $931,920
TOTALS: $68,294,510
Player 2008/09
Shawn Marion $17,180,000
Amare Stoudemire $14,520,000
Steve Nash $12,250,000
Boris Diaw $9,000,000
Leandrinho Barbosa $6,100,000
Raja Bell $5,000,000
Marcus Banks $4,176,000
Grant Hill $1,976,400
Eric Piatkowski $0
Sean Marks $0
Alando Tucker $1,001,880
TOTALS: $71,204,280
Player 2009/10
Shawn Marion $0
Amare Stoudemire $15,780,000
Steve Nash $13,125,000
Boris Diaw $9,000,000
Leandrinho Barbosa $6,600,000
Raja Bell $5,250,000
Marcus Banks $4,464,000
Grant Hill $0
Eric Piatkowski $0
Sean Marks $0
Alando Tucker $1,071,720
TOTALS: $41,094,000
Player 2010/11
Shawn Marion $0
Amare Stoudemire $17,040,000
Steve Nash $0
Boris Diaw $9,000,000
Leandrinho Barbosa $7,100,000
Raja Bell $0
Marcus Banks $4,752,000
Grant Hill $0
Eric Piatkowski $0
Sean Marks $0
Alando Tucker $1,934,455
TOTALS: $37,892,000
Note in 2009 they will have only $41,000,000 in payroll, with Nash as a team option. That means that they could spend up $15 to $16 million on FA, IF THEY LET NASH WALK, but they will have next to nothing to spend if they keep Nash.
The following season they could spend up to $20 million on FA if they let Nash walk.
One thing to remember in all this is that they will get Atlanta's #1 pick next year no matter what. For arguments sake assume it is in the range of #8-#12. That will add about $2 million in 2009, and $2.5 million in 2010.
They have 11 players under contract now, so they need to add players. The players they add will be near the minimum, and they will not sign anyone out past the 2009 season. They did not want to add rookies who will take away from their cap space in 2010, which is why they traded away those 2 #1 picks.
Is all of this a good strategy???