When the Phoenix Suns reached the midway point of its season and Emeka Okafor still out with a neck injury, an insurance policy began to take over payment on 80 percent of the remaining $14.4 million on his 13-14 contact.

Okafor's contract has become one of the most valuable assets for trade partners seeking significant savings.

A team dealing for Okafor would receive an insurance payout of $5.7 million – roughly $141,000 per game.

With $5 million in cap space and Okafor's contract, Ryan McDonough is looking to improve his roster for a playoff run. The Suns are currently holding the seventh seed in the Western Conference.

The Suns have expressed a willingness to acquire a veteran player on a short-term deal who wouldn't compromise their cap space.

McDonough has expressed publicly his willingness to explore using his draft picks, young assets and cap space to explore possible deals for All-Star-level players.