Where it all May Have Begun
Last night the Cleveland Cavaliers made a minor move with Portland in conjunction with a larger move, trading their 2017 1st round pick to re-obtain their 2018 1st round pick from Portland, who originally received the pick in the February 2016 Anderson Varejao trade.
Arizona Sports 98.7’s John Gambodoro speculated that Portland could be a team who may have interest in a trade with the assumption that the Cavaliers’ 2017 1st round pick could be used in the package.
Portland is looking for defensive help with a big so interesting they picked up a 1st rounder from Cleveland. Just a team to keep an eye on
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) January 6, 2017
The term ‘big’ is a little vague as it could be a forward or a center, meaning – at least from Phoenix’s perspective – Portland at some point may have interest in either P.J. Tucker or Tyson Chandler. With Chandler’s contract being much larger and longer than Tucker’s, P.J. may be the more viable option, and should the Blazers have interest in Tucker, the Suns would undoubtedly have interest in that pick.
If a trade of that nature should occur, that could mean that Phoenix is working on an even larger trade at the same time involving Knight – a trade in which the Suns would receive multiple players in return.
I say if, because the Suns have no need to move Tucker since his contract ends after this season anyway.
In the end, should any of this come to fruition and not just be of theoretical conjecture, none of that would be as easy to occur had the Suns not first waived John Jenkins today.
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