Phoenix Suns: Pros And Cons Of Trading For DeMarcus Cousins
Con: The Alternative Could Be Better
The Suns have never won an NBA championship, nor have they earned the No. 1 overall pick. If the goal is to eventually get this franchise over the hump and win a title, a change of approach could be required.
Of the last 35 NBA champions, the only teams whose best players was acquired via trade or free agency were the 2012-13 Miami Heat (LeBron James), the 2004 Detroit Pistons (Chauncey Billups), the 2000-02 Los Angeles Lakers (Shaquille O’Neal) and the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers (Moses Malone).
But even the Lakers’ three-peat needed Kobe Bryant. The 76ers had Julius Erving first, the Pistons drafted Tayshaun Prince, the Heat had Dwyane Wade, and the only other possible exception, the 2008 Boston Celtics, drafted Paul Pierce before they could add Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.
The point is this: Almost every champion in modern NBA history depended on drafting a superstar. The Suns might have that with Devin Booker, but why take a chance when a top-three pick is inbound? More importantly, would a core of Cousins, Bledsoe and Booker be able to contend for a title in the next 3-4 years while they’re all still in their prime? Would they attract free agents?
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If you believe the answer to those questions is “yes,” then a trade for Boogie makes sense. But McDonough hasn’t exactly proven himself as an effective trade-maker with so many deals backfiring, and his free agency track record is even worse.
The clock would be ticking as soon as the Suns traded for Cousins, not only because of his free agency, but because he’s only got 3-5 years left where he could be the best player on a potential contender. The same goes for Bledsoe.
This line of thought also assumes that Booker vastly improves on the defensive end, McDonough addresses the bench and other areas of need, and that the remaining Suns rookie (Bender or Chriss) matures rapidly. That’s a tall order, and the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz don’t appear to be going anywhere in the West.
The alternative — letting a young core develop into a title contender of the future — might be a more preferable option.
It’s true that not every draft pick is a winner, and at some point, McDonough would have to find a way to pay all these young players. But it’s not just about losing Warren, Len and a top-three rookie this year; it’s about turning your back on a possible core of Booker, Bender, Chriss, Warren, Len, Ulis and the one or two rookie selections in 2017 and 2018 who’d be near the top of their draft class.
A core of Booker, Chriss, Bender, Warren, Len, Ulis and a top-five rookie in the next two drafts could grow together, especially if the Suns acquire more draft picks by shipping off some of their current, older assets (Bledsoe, Chandler, Tucker and/or Knight). Oh, and they also have two potentially valuable first-rounders coming in 2018 and 2021 via Miami.
Developing young players is not a surefire process, nor would it guarantee the Suns their first championship. But Phoenix’s title window would be much smaller if it traded for DeMarcus Cousins compared to fostering this youth movement that could include two high lottery picks over the next two seasons. Remember, McDonough’s greatest strength as a GM thus far has arguably been his drafting.
Next: 5 Teams That Should Trade For Brandon Knight
Boogie is a tremendous player who’d help Phoenix return to the playoffs, but after seven years of impatience and building through the middle to get back there, the goal should be positioning this franchise for its first NBA championship. Risky as it might be, the best way to do that might require patience to give this young core the time to develop into something special.