Phoenix Suns: Top 5 Potential Trade Targets
1. Taj Gibson
Suns trade: Isaiah Thomas, Miles Plumlee and two draft picks
Bulls trade: Taj Gibson and Aaron Brooks
Ryan Anderson is a perfect fit offensively, but the Suns will never be title contenders until they alter their genetic makeup a little bit and focus on improving defensively. On that front, there is no power forward more desirable, who is actually acquirable, than Taj Gibson.
The problem here is that the Chicago Bulls are in the middle of a title-or-bust season. Their head coach Tom Thibodeau isn’t getting along with the front office, Derrick Rose‘s health is one bad play away from sinking the Bulls as title contenders and Pau Gasol‘s resurgence won’t last forever.
In order for Chicago to part with their most valuable backup, the offer would have to be extremely enticing. That means Phoenix would likely have to include a few of their draft picks to sweeten the deal.
Thomas represents a major upgrade over Aaron Brooks as Chicago’s backup point guard, and given Thibs’ ability to turn almost anyone into a tough defender, imagining what he could do with an athletic backup big like Miles Plumlee is intriguing. Even though Gibson is a clearly better player on both ends, Plumlee is an underrated backup who would work hard off the bench.
That being said, no way this trade happens without draft picks to sweeten the deal, and even then the Bulls might decline in the middle of their pursuit of a championship…despite Gibson’s recent struggles.
In the event McDonough were somehow able to work his GM voodoo again, however, the Suns would not only solve that point guard logjam everyone keeps citing, but they’d also bolster their defense and rebounding with a power forward who can hold his own offensively. He’s not a stretch-four, but the league has been salivating at the prospect of “Taj Gibson, starting power forward” for years now.
With the acquisition of Gasol, Chicago wasn’t able to start Gibson after all. His numbers and minutes have dipped from last season when he was robbed of the Sixth Man of the Year award, but as a starter in Phoenix, he’d also allow Markieff Morris to terrorize opponents off the bench. Or, Gibson could always carry on in his role as cleanup guy off the bench.
The inclusion of Brooks would give the Suns a backup point guard until Tyler Ennis is ready. He may not seem like much, but he’d be a cheap re-sign this summer and he’s shooting 45.7 percent from three-point range this season. If the Suns somehow swing this deal, it would be the start of the Suns finally taking the next step toward contender status.
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