3. Suns In The Playoff Hunt
In a losing season, it wouldn’t matter that Green makes the Suns a better team. In fact, if the Suns were tanking, they’d definitely be playing Goodwin, Warren and Bullock over Green. But Phoenix is not a tanking team. This is a playoff team, whether they finish eighth, ninth or even 10th in the West when all is said and done.
Yes, I’m fully aware only eight teams make the playoffs, but their intention of making the postseason remains the goal. The Suns are the third youngest team in the league, which means now is the time to build chemistry. The next logical step forward in doing that for a talented, young core of Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe, Markieff Morris, Alex Len, Isaiah Thomas and Brandan Wright (a free agent this summer) is making the playoffs.
For that to happen, the Suns need veterans who have been around the league like P.J. Tucker and Gerald Green. Trading Green, even for a useful rotation player, risks ruining the chemistry Phoenix has been improving all season long. Remember that 12-14 start? The Suns are 16-8 since. Moving a key bench player like Green risks a chemical upheaval that a team in the playoff hunt can’t afford right now.
Next: No. 2