Valley of the Suns
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The Phoenix Suns should have acquired Kyrie Irving

By Adam Maynes

BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 16: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics, wearing a mask due to a facial fracture, looks on during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden on November 16, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 16: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics, wearing a mask due to a facial fracture, looks on during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden on November 16, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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Kyrie wouldn’t have been the Suns’ only acquisition

CLEVELAND, OH – NOVEMBER 17: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers watches as Blake Griffin #32 of the LA Clippers celebrates after hitting a three point shot during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on November 17, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Clippers 118-113 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – NOVEMBER 17: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers watches as Blake Griffin #32 of the LA Clippers celebrates after hitting a three point shot during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on November 17, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Clippers 118-113 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Many people around the league are beginning to see Devin Booker as the kind of player that other star players would want to join up with and play alongside. Adding Kyrie Irving to that mix might have allowed Suns General Manager to pull off another trade right away and acquire an additional star, or potentially add someone through free agency this coming offseason.

How do we know that another player would have joined up with the Booker and Irving backcourt?

Because the Suns would have been winning.

While it is highly unlikely that adding Irving to the Suns this season makes them as great as the Celtics are right now, let’s not ignore the fact that the Suns would have been better. Not only would they have the contributions of Kyrie, but Josh Jackson’s slow start would have been mitigated, and the play of Kyrie at point guard would have helped the offense to expand and the play of both Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss might actually be improved as they would have had a strong leader at point to both guide them, but also get them the ball in the right spot.

Irving demanded his trade from Cleveland at the end of July. Had the Suns been active and made their deal imediately, they too could have capitalized on the earliness of the trade by using the rest of the summer to make additional moves. At this point Gordon Kayward had already signed with the Celtics, doing so about a week before Irving demanded his trade. However, having Kyrie may  have encouraged Blake Griffin to actually take that meeting with the Suns, or other players such as Serge Ibaka, Pau Gasol, Danilo Galinari, Paul Millsap, and others.

Yes the Suns would have had to move Jared Dudley and/or Tyson Chandler, but each of those conceivably could  be pulled off fairly easily if the Suns are able to take on other contracts, or offer up picks that with the added talent would be much lower in the draft anyway.

And believe me, the Suns would have been winning…

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