Phoenix Suns: 5 trade possibilities for Troy Daniels
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Pistons’ 3-point shooting woes are more noticeable because of how many they’re taking, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are actually the least efficient team from downtown this season, making just 33.2 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc.
Russell Westbrook‘s insistence on shooting a shot he’s never been good at will always weigh the team’s percentages down, but outside of Paul George (38.6 percent on 8.9 attempts per game), Terrance Ferguson (37.7 percent on 3.2 attempts per game) and Abdel Nader (41.4 percent on 1.1 attempts per game), OKC has zero floor-spacers.
Troy Daniels could really help there if the Thunder are willing to give up on the 25-year-old Alex Abrines, who was supposed to fill the role of 3-point threat off the bench:
Abrines, who made 38.1 percent and 38 percent of his 3-pointers over the first two seasons of his NBA career, has taken a significant step backward in 2018-19 with an uptick in attempts and minutes, making just 32.3 percent of his 4.3 3-point shots per game.
As he heads for restricted free agency, the Thunder would be wise to swap him out for a more efficient and steady 3-point hand like Daniels. They’re all in on their championship pursuits now, so waiting around for Abrines to figure it out — especially since they’re already well into the luxury tax before having to pay to keep him this summer — doesn’t make much sense.
To that end, and since Daniels would be an effective fit but also an expiring contract, the Suns might be able to wiggle their way into a second round pick in addition to Abrines. OKC owes its 2019 second-rounder to the Charlotte Hornets, so it’d have to be 2020 or beyond. The Suns could give Abrines a quick look, but more than likely they’d renounce him in free agency this summer.
dark. Next. 5 NBA teams that should trade for Dennis Smith Jr.
Another alternative that works financially would be Patrick Patterson, but the Thunder need the depth he provides in the frontcourt, he’d serve little purpose in Phoenix and he wouldn’t come with a second-rounder attached.