Gerald Green: Should The Phoenix Suns Trade Him?

If it weren’t for Goran Dragic and Markieff Morris, Gerald Green would have been the story of the 2013-14 Phoenix Suns. Almost every player on the Suns’ roster last year had a career year under rookie head coach Jeff Hornacek, but Green stood out in particular as one of the most improved players in the NBA.

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Seven must be Green’s lucky number, because in his seventh season on his seventh team, he was able to finally put all that athleticism and shooting potential to good use. We all knew Green would electrify US Airways Center every now and then with high-flying dunks, but nobody saw him putting up a career-best 15.8 points per game on 40 percent shooting from downtown.

Green was fourth in the NBA in made 3-pointers last season and just narrowly missed the top 20 in 3-point percentage. He was instant offense off the bench, igniting the crowd by heating up in a hurry, beating his chest with every made basket and yes, throwing down some incredibly wicked dunks. In other words, his trade value has never been higher.

As Grantland’s Zach Lowe suggested in his 33 Crazy Predictions for 2014-15, Green’s value might lead to a trade. If the Suns are able to get a couple of second round draft picks in a potential deal, Lowe believes they will pull the trigger on moving a player whose trade value is, well, a windmill slam dunk.

After such a feel-good season and watching Green deliver on all his potential for the first time in his career, it feels a bit heartless to suggest moving him to the trade block before February’s trade deadline. But when you take a look at Green’s upcoming free agency and the Suns’ current roster, it’s hard to see any way Phoenix keeps him around for their long-term plans.

Next summer, Green will be a free agent, and even if he doesn’t have another career season in 2014-15, he’ll have a few good offers heading his way in the offseason. Only by ponying up the dough will the Suns be able to keep Green around, but that seems a bit excessive for a sixth man, especially with Isaiah Thomas now in town to help with carrying the offense off the bench.

Three-point shooting is a precious commodity in the league these days, so contenders may be willing to pay up for such an electric player who can come in and light up the scoreboard from downtown in limited minutes. Since they’re already at risk to lose him for nothing next summer as a free agent, doesn’t it make sense for the Suns to see what they can get for him while his trade value is at its highest? Especially since doing so will also help Phoenix avoid overpaying for a 28-year-old who may have already played his best basketball?

As for the Suns’ roster, the backcourt is pretty crowded as is. Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe, Isaiah Thomas and Tyler Ennis are all point guards, but the Suns play more than one point guard at the same time. At the shooting guard position, Phoenix also has Green, Archie Goodwin and Zoran Dragic at its disposal. Goodwin and Dragic are unproven, but they’re also young and have lots of potential. Green’s age might prevent him from being as valuable a long-term commodity as Goodwin and Zoki are.

To be fair, this all could change if Thomas and Green are gangbusters together off the bench like they have been in the preseason so far. But overpaying for a bench spark plug is a stretch, especially with Phoenix already having to worry about Goran Dragic’s upcoming free agency. The Suns need 3-point shooting at the shooting guard position to make the playoffs this year, and Goodwin and Zoki are still years away. So while it makes sense for Phoenix to watch how this season plays out, don’t be surprised to hear Gerald Green in trade rumors as February creeps closer.

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Phoenix Suns: Should They Trade Gerald Green?

By Gerald Bourguet | Oct 15, 2014