The Phoenix Suns need to do veteran center Tyson Chandler a favor and find a playoff team to trade him to so that both parties can move on.
Tyson Chandler is a defensive big man with a championship pedigree that most teams would love to have. He still plays at a high level for a seasoned player which is great for the Phoenix Suns. The problem lies in that the Suns are in full rebuild this season. The team should be focusing on developing its young core and that includes giving playing time to those young players. With Chandler still being a solid starter in the league, he is taking away playing time at center from players like restricted free agent Alex Len, Alan Williams, and occasionally Dragan Bender. At the age of 34 Chandler should not be subjected to go through a rebuild in the golden years of his career. The best thing for both sides is to trade Chandler to a playoff contender so the Suns can focus on developing their young core.
Finding a trade that was both fair to both sides and finding a destination that would need Chandler was not easy to say the least. However, after a half hour on ESPN NBA Trade Machine this would a great fit for both sides.
From the Suns perspective this is a great deal. John Henson is a quality big that can shot block and rebound.
| Season | Age | Tm | Pos | G | GS | MP | FG% | 2P% | eFG% | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | 22 | MIL | PF | 63 | 9 | 13.1 | .482 | .486 | .482 | .533 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 4.7 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 6.0 |
| 2013-14 | 23 | MIL | PF | 70 | 23 | 26.5 | .538 | .539 | .538 | .514 | 2.4 | 4.7 | 7.1 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 11.1 |
| 2014-15 | 24 | MIL | C | 67 | 11 | 18.3 | .566 | .566 | .566 | .569 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 7.0 |
| 2015-16 | 25 | MIL | C | 57 | 1 | 16.8 | .564 | .566 | .564 | .590 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 7.0 |
| 2016-17 | 26 | MIL | C | 58 | 39 | 19.4 | .515 | .516 | .515 | .692 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 6.8 |
| Career | 315 | 83 | 19.0 | .534 | .535 | .534 | .572 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 5.1 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 7.7 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/3/2017.
Henson being on the roster will allow Len to start and not worry about losing his job at the first sign of trouble. Henson does not have the same pedigree that Chandler does there will not be as much pressure on the coaching staff to start him. This will help Len’s confidence greatly improve becoming the team’s full time starter. Henson would be a solid back up behind Len. He is also young enough to be a part of the team’s young core.
Spencer Hawes only has one year on his somewhat cheap contract so the Suns can easily waive him as soon as they acquire him. He was part of the trade for purely salary cap purposes. Then getting a top 20 protected draft pick in next year’s draft in the deal is a nice way to sweeten the deal. The Suns will need to continue to gather picks during this rebuild. This pick can either be used on a player or bundled it into a bigger deal.
For Chandler, he will be able to go the Milwaukee Bucks who will be contending for an Eastern Conference playoff position. Head coach Jason Kidd had carousel of starting centers all last season. Chandler would be the unquestioned starting in Milwaukee. A center rotation of Chandler, Greg Monroe, and Thon Maker would make the Bucks a top contender in the east. Chandler would be a part of a legit Eastern Conference contender which is what he should be at the end of his career.
Next: With Irving’s trade value down the Phoenix Suns should strike a deal
There is no way to know if or when the Phoenix Suns will trade Chandler, but if they were this deal would be win for both sides. This will be an interesting story line for fans to follow throughout the upcoming season.