The three-team dream trade for the Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns have been amidst the flurry of trade rumors this offseason, especially once Kyrie Irving demanded a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers last week. This trade idea is perhaps the craziest of them all, but I’d argue it might also be the best one, for all three teams involved.

The Trade:

The Phoenix Suns receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Frank Ntilikina, Channing Frye, Iman Shumpert, Joakim Noah, 2019 1st Rd Pick (CLE)

The Cleveland Cavaliers receive: Eric Bledsoe, Tyson Chandler, and Carmelo Anthony

The New York Knicks receive: Kyrie Irving, Marquese Chriss, Tristan Thompson, TJ Warren, 2018 1st Rd Pick (MIA via PHX), 2018 Top-5 Protected 1st Rd Pick (PHX)

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Why New York Does It:

The immediate reaction to this idea is that the Knicks probably won’t give up Porzingis. However, for the haul that they’re getting back in this deal, they might be inclined to do so. For one, they get a new face of the franchise in Kyrie Irving, who is barely about to enter his prime and would most likely re-sign with New York once his contract is up. They also get a young, talented power forward in Chriss to replace Porzingis. With T.J. Warren, they also get a still young, starting-caliber small forward.

The Knicks pick up Tristan Thompson as well, and though his contract is pretty hefty, he’s still only 26, and he brings the kind of hustle and toughness the team has lacked since the days of Charles Oakley. The Knicks also get both the Miami Heat’s 1st round pick this year, top-7 protected, and the Phoenix Suns’ pick this year, which in this scenario I made top-5 protected. Those are very valuable assets for New York. They can either flip those picks for another star perhaps, or build around Kyrie in a weak Eastern Conference, where the Knicks could be a contending team in three or four years when Kyrie is smack dab in the middle of his prime, and Chriss is about to enter his.

An underrated move is that the Knicks get to get rid of Joakim Noah’s contract.

Why Cleveland Does It:

Cleveland has its hands tied at this point. There’s pretty much no way that LeBron goes into this season still playing with Irving, and if Cleveland doesn’t get a good return for him, they can pretty much kiss LeBron goodbye next summer.

Bringing in two of LeBron’s good friends could definitely help. Eric Bledsoe is a huge defensive upgrade from Kyrie, and while offensively they have similar styles of play, Bledsoe is a better off the ball player than Irving is. If Melo can be convinced to waive his no-trade clause to come to Cleveland, he could easily win Sixth Man of the Year for the team. He would be part of the small ball lineup at the end of games, and he could still get his 30 or so minutes a game without being in the starting lineup. He’d also be the offense off the bench for the team, reuniting with Derrick Rose, ironically.

With Chandler, the Cavs get the defensive stopper they need in the middle. Plus his contract is off the books in two years which allows the team to have more flexibility in free agency without sacrificing talent in the meantime.

This is about the best haul Cleveland is going to get for Kyrie Irving. All of their leverage is gone with him demanding a trade, and LeBron’s looming free agency depletes that leverage even further. Teams know that Cleveland will have to try to get good pieces back to keep LeBron happy, because young assets and rookies aren’t going to win championships, especially not against a team like the Warriors.

Why Phoenix Does It:

For the Suns, it might seem like a major loss to give up two of their top three starters, production-wise. Plus they lose their starting center, and two 1st round picks.

However… Kristaps Porzingis is the kind of player that’s worth doing that for. He is young, still not near his full potential, and about on the same level as Devin Booker currently. Both players could be top ten players in the league in two to three years, and Josh Jackson and Dragan Bender are also oozing with potential and skill.

The Phoenix Suns would also get back Frank Ntilikina. Frank is a big point guard with a huge wingspan, and he has great passing and defensive promise. He also has a decent shooting stroke, one that will continue to improve over time. He’s still somewhat raw, but all the intangibles and measurables are there, if he’s just given the proper time and tutelage to develop. Tyler Ullis can start in the meantime, and both players could fight to be the starting point guard for the next few years until one clearly beats out the other.

The Suns would take back multiple bad contracts as well, but the team has plenty of cap room to do so, and they move two of their own biggest contracts in the trade in Bledsoe and Chandler. Channing Frye is a fan favorite, and he could be a valuable veteran to teach Bender and Porzingis while still being productive on the court himself.

More from Valley of the Suns

Iman Shumpert’s contract is not as horrible now as it seemed to be just last year. Ten million dollars a year is a lot for a backup shooting guard, but considering that he actually fills a need for the team, and seeing what players like P.J. Tucker and Andre Iguodala got, it’s a contract the Suns could swallow. Joakim Noah’s contract is definitely a bad one. At around $18 million a year or so, for three more years, Noah’s contract is easily one of the worst in the league.

However, the Suns are not competing right now anyways, and they still have plenty of cap space to spend. He would serve as a backup center for now to replace Tyson Chandler. Depending on the lineup, he could even start. He brings defense, scrappiness, and experience, which are three traits this team desperately needs more of, especially with the departure of Chriss and Tyson in this scenario. The Suns could buy him out a year or two down the road, but for now, the team can afford to take on a whale of a deal like Joakim Noah’s, especially if it means getting Kristaps Porzingis on the Phoenix Suns.