The Suns sitting under .500 at 15-17 going into the new year has confused fans. This ultimately has led to multiple questions over the construction of this roster. Over the last few days, much speculation about the Phoenix Suns has grown. With fans of the NBA and Suns fans looking back at previous deals and finding out what one was the crux for all of this. What significant moves set them back and hindered the potential for this team to grow or pursue more ammo to win? Many may look at the Kevin Durant trade and say it sparked the bad beginnings for Phoenix, but I disagree. There are two moves following the Durant one that truly set this team back to a spot with a possible no-return.
The Trades That Put the Suns in a Nightmare Position
Bradley Beal Disaster Trade
When analyzing the Suns’ true crux of its issues, it all returns to this move. When the Suns traded for Bradley Beal, they sent away Chris Paul and Landry Shamet, two players with an extended run in Phoenix. The Suns also sent four first-round pick swaps and six second-round picks. This was way too much for the Suns to give up to move off a contract. With this trade, the Suns were sending away two players who they felt were too injured. In return, they got back a player who could put up at least 20 points for the Suns per night. Something that both CP3 and Shamet could not do on a nightly basis. Paul was also an aging point guard on a $40 million deal, so moving him would be difficult for the Suns if this deal did not come together.
Even with all these factors helping the Suns, many fans (including myself) felt this was not the right move. For starters, they added another ball-dominant scorer and shooter when they already had two in Devin Booker and Durant. This also did not solve their defensive issues.
In hindsight, fans were right about this move. Beal has yet to be a productive piece for this team at his contract value in the time years he’s been in Phoenix. A majority of the hindrance is his ability to stay healthy with this team, as Beal has only played 75 games for the franchise. Ultimately, the Beal trade drained the Suns of their future draft picks and put them into the second apron, making it nearly impossible to make any future trades.
Suns Center Trade Dilemma
Now, after making one bad move, you would think the Suns would learn from their issues, but that is the funny thing. They did not and went and made another move that ultimately set them back as well. As we all know, the Suns were looking to fix their center issue. Little did they know trading one center for another would set them back further. In this deal, the Suns sent Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara to the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team deal that notably sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. This netted the Suns Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Keon Johnson, and Grayson Allen.
Only one of these four players acquired has positively impacted the Suns in Allen. Last year, he was their best three-point shooter, and he has found a solid role this year. Other than that, Nurkic has been a less-than-ideal fit and holds the lowest value on this Suns team, if not the entire NBA. Johnson was waived before last season, and Little was waived this year after the Suns failed to trade him. The sad thing is that Camara would have been a perfect fit for the Suns. He has been an exciting young wing for the Blazers, something Suns fans would love to have alongside Ryan Dunn.
Where this Leaves Phoenix
Ultimately, for this Suns team, this leaves them in a pickle. With the Suns being in the second apron and being restricted from making moves, it makes it increasingly difficult for them to make additions. Some possibilities that fans do not want to explore may have to be available for the Suns. For the Suns to get out of this center catastrophe, they may have to trade Allen.
Notably, Allen, who was recently extended, is now trade-eligible for the Suns, making around $15 million. He is a prime trade candidate to keep an eye on if the Suns look to make upgrades if some of the Suns’ other offers aren’t enticing enough. They could also look at some minor contracts in Josh Okogie if that nets them any possible upgrades. Hopefully, whatever the Suns figure out to do, James Jones and Mat Ishbia will find out the solution quickly.
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