After Tuesday morning's training camp-opening workout, coach Frank Johnson said the Suns were committed to Jake Tsakalidis as the club's starting center.

"We're going to give him every opportunity to be there," Johnson said.

But even before the afternoon practice, Tsakalidis was on his way to Memphis along with forward Bo Outlaw as part of a five-player deal that brings the Suns' backup point guard Brevin Knight and two developing big men.

Along with Knight, the Suns got 7-foot-2, 240-pound Polish-born center Cezary Trybanski and former Illinois forward Robert Archibald.

Trybanski played in 15 games as a rookie last season and totaled 14 points and 14 rebounds in 86 minutes of playing time. Archibald got even less action, appearing in 12 games. He had 19 points and 17 rebounds in his season-total of 72 minutes.

But the move may have been made for financial reasons as much as for basketball purposes.

Outlaw has two years remaining on his contract, including the upcoming season, which would pay him $5.955 million and $5.355 million. Tsakalidis has two years remaining on his contract, paying $1.58 million this season and $2.32 million next season.

Archibald does not have any guaranteed money on a second-round minimum deal; Trybanski is to be paid $1.6 million this season and $1.76 next season.

Finally, Knight is in the final year of his contract, which will pay $5 million.

Thus, at the end of this season the Suns could clear about $6 million from their salary cap. The difference could keep the Suns below the league's so-called "luxury tax threshold" which charges a dollar-for-dollar penalty for teams that exceed the salary cap by too much.