Phoenix Suns: 3 players most likely to be traded before deadline
2. T.J. Warren
Josh Jackson is a no-brainer for the Suns to offer if their prospective trade partners desire youth and upside, but if they’re dealing with a team in need of established talent, T.J. Warren makes the most sense.
On the surface, shipping off Tony Buckets in the middle of a career season seems like another vintage Suns blunder in the making. He’s averaging 18.5 points in just 31.6 minutes per game, but has become an even deadlier offensive weapon thanks to his 42.9 percent shooting from 3-point range on a whopping 4.4 attempts per game. It’s not a stretch to say Warren is enjoying one of the most drastic turnarounds in NBA history when it comes to long range shooting.
Would you trade TJ Warren for the ability to retain Kelly Oubre/Richaun Holmes and still have max space for someone like Kemba Walker? Or are the Suns still not in a place to entertain realistically signing a max player? What if we can unload TJ and Ryan Anderson together?
— Mike Vigil (@protectedpick) January 16, 2019
However, even with Warren’s undeniable scoring ability, he’s not a great long-term fit with this roster, or in Kokoskov’s system. He’s still a major minus on the defensive end and his complete tunnel vision from the wing is a detriment to an offensive system tailor-made for secondary ball-handlers and playmakers.
Warren is still only 25 years old, he can shoot 3s now, he’s under team control for three more years at a manageable annual salary of $11.8 million, and he’d be perfectly cast as a microwave scorer for any playoff team in need of a designated sixth man. His defense and lack of playmaking wouldn’t be as much of a detriment under those conditions either.
I have a take that Suns fans won't like but here goes
— Max (@maxmcc11) January 5, 2019
Now that TJ is a good NBA player the Suns need to capitalize and trade him. They need defense/playmaking/shooting around Book and Ayton. TJ totally disappears if he isn't scoring and it *crushes* lineups with him/Book/Ayton.
Tony Buckets is one of Phoenix’s most attractive trade assets while also being expendable with Bridges, Oubre and Jackson literally waiting in the wings. He could net Phoenix a useful asset at a position of need and makes the most sense as a trade candidate.
The only reason he isn’t ranked higher here is Phoenix may hesitate to move a player in the middle of a career year with an interim GM at the helm, especially since the team’s already miserable offense would seriously suffer without Warren’s offense to take pressure off Booker.