Phoenix Suns trade rumors: 5 potential Greg Monroe trades

2. Los Angeles Lakers

It’s no secret the Los Angeles Lakers are desperate to unload the remaining three years and $54 million on Luol Deng‘s deal. That contract was a disaster the moment it was signed, and it’s only gotten worse as he’s averaged 7.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game on 38.7 percent shooting over his 57 appearances for the franchise.

The Lakers have their eyes set on 2018 free agency, and that greed has already cost them D’Angelo Russell to atone for Mozgov’s contract. It’s time for the Suns to cash in on a similar obsession with unloading Deng’s deal, and L.A. has a few assets that could be on the table.

Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram are obviously nonstarters in this kind of discussion, and Kyle Kuzma‘s exceptional play early on probably removes him from the equation too. But if the Suns are going to take on Deng’s appalling contract, asking for an unprotected first-rounder is well within their rights:

The Lakers don’t own their own 2018 first round draft selection, which means the soonest they could offer a first-rounder is in 2020. That won’t be an issue for a Suns team that already has a ton of youngsters to develop, two possible first round picks coming in the 2018 draft and a stockpile of assets it’s trying to accumulate for a future blockbuster deal.

Between Miami’s unprotected 2021 first-rounder and Milwaukee’s protected first-rounder (which is most likely to convey in 2020 based on the Bucks’ upward trajectory), adding another 2020 first-rounder to the stack would give Phoenix serious firepower in future trade talks.

If, for whatever reason, Magic Johnson balks at the prospect of including another future first-rounder, there are three young players that would fit #TheTimeline and might be of interest to the Suns: Larry Nance Jr., Josh Hart and Ivica Zubac.

Hart is the unheralded Lakers rookie, but he’s a smart, four-year college player who’d bring a steady hand, shooting touch and defense off the bench behind Booker. He’s only 22 and though he’s averaging just 3.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in his 13.7 minutes per game, he was one player the Suns liked during pre-draft workouts.

More from Hoops Habit

• The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout

Hart alone wouldn’t be enticing enough to take on Deng’s contract, which is why the Suns would need to ask for Zubac as well. Lakers fans might recoil at losing two promising youngsters, but such is the cost of clearing enough cap space for LeBron James and another high profile free agent.

Zubac showed serious signs of potential before the Lakers stunted his development by bringing aboard Brook Lopez and then Andrew Bogut, and the 20-year-old has only appeared in one game so far this season. However, he impressed down the stretch of his rookie year, putting up 7.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 38 games, including 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game on 59.1 percent shooting over 11 starts.

Zubac would provide the Suns with a long-term flier at center, which may not be reassuring after Len fit that description for so long and is barely now showing signs of sustainable growth. However, if Hart and Zubac weren’t enough, perhaps Larry Nance Jr. would fit the profile.

Remember, his father played for the Suns back in his heyday and Jr. was one player Phoenix worked out and liked before the 2015 NBA Draft. He has breathtaking leaping ability, a great motor on the defensive end and a still developing game at age 24.

Even with Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss in need of frontcourt minutes, Nance is the kind of under-the-radar talent the Lakers might be willing to surrender if it means unloading Deng’s contract. Maybe the Suns would still need Zubac or some kind of draft compensation attached, but as you can see, there are plenty of mix-and-match options to choose from here.

On the Lakers’ end, Monroe could rebuild his free agency value as the second big off the bench behind Lopez, while L.A. would enjoy the temporary boost he provides for a team with no reason to tank this year. Then they could let him walk and enjoy watching his salary come off the books as they make their highly anticipated play for the summer’s star free agents.