Hoops Habit
Fansided

Phoenix Suns: 10 Potential Trades As Sellers Before 2017 NBA Trade Deadline

By Gerald Bourguet

Jan 3, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) and center Tyson Chandler (4) run up the court in the first half of the NBA game against the Miami Heat at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns won 99-90. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) and center Tyson Chandler (4) run up the court in the first half of the NBA game against the Miami Heat at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns won 99-90. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 11
Next
Phoenix Suns
Nov 23, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (11) pounds his chest after hitting a 3 point shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center. The Suns won 92-87. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

10. Working Some Magic To Trade Brandon Knight

Brandon Knight’s trade value has never been lower. He’s hardly playing off the bench, his defense is atrocious, he’s shooting 39.8 percent from the field and his confidence simply looks shattered. The fact that he’s boasting the NBA’s second-worst total point differential at -327 doesn’t really help matters.

However, before you say, “There’s no WAY anyone would trade for Brandon Knight!” let me remind you of three things:

  1. The Kings just accepted a package of Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway, Tyreke Evans‘ expiring contract, a 2017 first round pick and a 2017 second round pick for DeMarcus Cousins
  2. McDonough is the same guy who squeezed a first round pick out of the Washington Wizards despite Markieff Morris‘ value never being lower
  3. The Orlando Magic are the same team that traded Tobias Harris for Ersan Ilyasova and Brandon Jennings rentals, and then flipped Ilyasova, Victor Oladipo and a lottery pick into Serge Ibaka…only to have to panic-trade him less than a year later for Terrence Ross and a 2017 first round pick that will end up somewhere in the 20s.

In other words, it’s probably time we stop saying, “THAT’LL NEVER HAPPEN!” with such unwavering confidence.

The Orlando Magic have issues with Elfrid Payton‘s shooting and all-around consistency, as C.J. Watson earning the starting job clearly indicates. Is it too soon to give up on this 22-year-old? Probably. But the question we’re really dealing with is “Will they?” and after watching the Magic ship away Tobias Harris and Victor Oladipo for peanuts, the answer could be yes.

It seems like backward logic for the Suns to trade away Knight to free up minutes for Tyler Ulis only to bring in another young point guard, but Phoenix also should be thinking about capitalizing on Eric Bledsoe’s trade value right now. If they could find a way to move Bledsoe as well, the Suns’ backcourt could roll with Payton, Devin Booker, Ulis and whatever guard they take in this year’s draft for the foreseeable future.

Related Story: 5 Teams That Should Trade For Brandon Knight

That would make Phoenix a lot worse in the here and now, but with rebuilding being the focus, what’s the harm in giving substantial minutes to two pass-first point guards? After all, the Suns rank dead last in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio with Bledsoe and Knight running the show.

Payton needs to develop a reliable jumper to become an effective NBA player, but he’s a defensive terror, a solid passer and does a little bit of everything. He’s still only 22, his development timeline aligns with the Suns’ rebuilding timeline, and he’s shown signs of life recently, averaging 15.1 points, 5.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game over his last 18 contests.

More from Phoenix Suns

Sure, they’d have to take on Jeff Green, but his $15 million contract expires at the end of this year and they wouldn’t have to play him anyway, since Warren and Dudley could hold down the minutes at the 3.

For the Magic, they’d be getting a more established scorer at the point guard spot — something they’ve reportedly been targeting in the trade market — who could help them with their inevitable desperate playoff push in 2018.

P.J. Tucker would be an improvement on the wing as a gritty defender that Frank Vogel would love, especially if he can shoot closer to the 38.7 percent he shot from three-point range in 2013-14 — the last time he played for a team that had a legitimate shot at the playoffs.

The potential roadblocks here would be the Suns finding a trade for Bledsoe to clear the backcourt logjam with Payton’s arrival. Orlando may also be okay with Payton continuing his role as sixth man, especially if the front office isn’t high on Knight being the solution to their scoring problem or decides to pursue a rebuild following the Ibaka trade.

Home/Phoenix Suns