Phoenix Suns point guard compendium: 15 potential trade targets

Patrick Beverley

2018-19 stat line: 25.3 MPG, 6.7 PPG, 4.0 APG, 4.0 RPG, .346/.307/.826 shooting splits

Pros:

• Ideal short-term fit next to Booker as a defensive hound
• Experienced, feisty veteran who won’t tolerate Suns’ defensive lapses or lack of effort
• Doesn’t need the ball in his hands, allowing Booker to continue to improve playmaking
• On a cheap, expiring contract that could make him easier to re-sign
• Historically reliable 3-point shooter

Cons:

• Only a short-term stopgap given his age at 30 years old
• Impending status as an unrestricted free agent would complicate things
• 3-point shooting has taken a dive this year
• Clippers are No. 1 in the West and unlikely to break the team up at this point

A possible trade:

Breakdown:

The Los Angeles Clippers have a glut of guards between Patrick Beverley, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lou Williams, Avery Bradley, Milos Teodosic, Jerome Robinson and Tyrone Wallace. Lou Will, SGA and Robinson are off limits, and Beverley is probably close to that territory, but he’s too perfect a fit next to Devin Booker to exclude from the list.

The Suns need someone with a defensive mindset at the 1? That’s Beverley. Some respectable 3-point shooting and secondary playmaking alongside an emerging facilitator like Booker? That’s Beverley too. How about someone with playoff experience and a feisty competitive fire that will whip these youngsters into shape and help them develop better habits. Again, that’s Beverley.

Booker has talked about players needing to hold each other accountable, and you can be guaranteed Beverley would fit the mold. Unfortunately, the Clippers are at the top of the West with him playing a large role. Even as an expiring contract, he likely wouldn’t be available until the trade deadline if things went south for L.A.

The Clippers would probably ask for the protected Milwaukee Bucks pick the Suns own, and they might be able to get it depending on Phoenix’s desperation by that point. With the Clips trying to preserve cap space, a shooter on an expiring contract like Troy Daniels and a youngster like Dragan Bender make the most sense (though subbing in the Bucks pick for Bender works too). In any case, Beverley hasn’t been himself this year on defense, and his 3-point shooting hasn’t been great either.