Phoenix Suns: Setting Expectations For Trade Deadline
Remember Defense?
For this team to get better, they’ll need to vastly improve on the defensive end. The Suns are in the bottom half of the league in defensive rating and they struggle to get rebounds to close out defensive possessions late in games. Markieff Morris is one of the most dynamic and versatile power forwards in the NBA on the offensive end, but he can’t rebound well enough and struggles to guard bigger post players.
Len is a terrific shot-blocker already, but he’s only in his second year and is still adjusting to the grind of his first full season — not to mention the poor guy can’t stay healthy, as shown by his twisted ankle last night in Portland.
Bledsoe is a good defender, Tucker is Phoenix’s go-to lockdown wing and Dragic can hold his own, but the team defense doesn’t click yet. How do you improve that via trade without switching from the Morris twins to a more defensive alternative? Even if the Suns traded for Taj Gibson, would they be willing to make a major style change and start him over Kieff?
This team’s identity has always been grounded in its fast-paced offense. Though Phoenix can trade for players that would help shore up the defense, they’d have a nightmare of a time completely changing that offensive identity.
Again, the answer for improving the D while keeping the offense at the same level might be as simple as waiting for this extremely young team to grow up and develop chemistry together.
Trading Plumlee and Green wouldn’t surprise me. A deal involving Dragic or Thomas could also be in the works when all is said and done. But if the Suns are confident they can re-sign the Dragon, then perhaps even missing out on Gibson wouldn’t hurt that much.
If McDonough can work his magic and find a deal that helps the Suns in their playoff hunt without sacrificing the attractive young assets that represent the future, Phoenix fans should feel comforted that he will do so. But there’s no need to force a trade simply to make the playoffs this season, even if that is the next logical step for a team that wants to contend for championships one day.
Best-case scenario, Kevin Love becomes available this summer and realizes how well he fits in Phoenix. Worst-case scenario, the Suns are left with a very young, talented core capable of rising to the top of the West in a few years. They key, either way? A little patience.
Next: Phoenix Suns: Top 5 Potential Trade Targets