1. He’s A Free Agent This Summer
The most obvious reason why there’s a rush to move the Four-Fingered Assassin is that he will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. That means if the Suns fail to move him before the trade deadline, there’s a very real chance they lose him for nothing this summer.
In an ideal world, there’d be enough room to re-sign both him and Goran Dragic this summer to keep the gang together. After all, this young team has developed some pretty strong chemistry after a shaky start and who doesn’t love a good ol’ fashioned Gerald Green heat check?
But the reality is other teams will be willing to pay more for Green’s services than the Suns will, especially since McDonough will be focused on keeping the Dragon in Phoenix with a max-level contract. I’m sure Green appreciates what Phoenix has done to revitalize his career, but given his diminishing role and the opportunity to cash in on his recent success, he WILL walk this summer.
With that in mind, the Suns should try to find a playoff contender that would be willing to give something up for Green’s services. He’d probably only be a rental because again, he’s a free agent this summer, but there are teams out there that would be interested in what he brings to the table with the postseason in mind.
As this point, a parting of the ways would benefit both parties. The Suns would free up minutes for the younger players and receive at least some compensation for their Four-Fingered Assassin, while Green would have the opportunity to play for a contender and boost his free agency value in the process.
After this unlikely paring brought mutual success to both Green and the Suns, it’s probably best for each to ride that momentum and not look back.
Next: Phoenix Suns: Top 5 Potential Trade Targets