The Phoenix Suns need to trade for Jahlil Okafor now

The Phoenix Suns have problems at the center position, but trading for Jahlil Okafor would help solve the Suns’ current issues.

Currently, the Phoenix Suns have Greg Monroe, Tyson Chandler and Alex Len on the active roster for the center position. Each of which deserves at least 20-28 minutes of floor time in any given game. Even though the Suns have three quality centers currently playing, it’s important that the franchise trades for Jahlil Okafor sooner rather than later.

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The Okafor saga with the Philadelphia 76ers is well documented. Recently, Suns star Devin Booker lauded for Sixers to move Okafor. As previously stated in a recent article I wrote, trading for Okafor and getting him out of Philly would build good will with the Suns’ superstar and repair the team’s image. Keeping Booker happy should be high on Suns’ general manager Ryan McDonough’s to-do list this season. If McDonough trades for Okafor, it will start out the relationship between the two even stronger because it shows Okafor that McDonough was willing to sacrifice assets to acquire him. Even though Okafor would be a free agent at the end of this season, he’s much more likley to sign long term with the team that saved him from the Sixers’ bench rather than a team waiting from him to be bought out.

Another factor is that Okafor’s agent is Billy Duffy. Duffy represents another young rising star in Zach LaVine, who will be a restricted free agent this upcoming offseason. If the Suns save Duffy’s player from the Sixers and then pursue LaVine during his restricted free agency, then it may help them at the negotiation table. Having a duo of LaVine and Booker would be a very high scoring back court.

Beyond the relationship and good will building, an Okafor trade has other implications. Assuming the Suns only trade a second round pick to acquire Okafor, then the Suns would be stuck with four active centers, five total including the injured Alan Williams. Acquiring Okafor would force the Suns to deal with their glutton of centers on the roster. It appears that none of the three active centers seem like ideal long term pieces. Len and Monroe are both free agents at the end of the season, it has been made clear that Monroe is not a long term piece. Chandler has been on the trading block and is just too old to be apart of the team’s future. Bringing in the Sixers’ center would help force the Suns to make moves with their current big men. Any of the centers could be involved in a deal for a high draft pick or for a young up and coming talent. Okafor coming to Phoenix would most likely mean the expedient exit of at least two centers on the roster.

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Trading for Okafor would help build good relations and will force the Suns to deal with their center problem sooner rather than later. Both of which are good things and at this point the Suns won’t have to give up much for a proven scorer. The sooner the Suns bring in Okafor, the sooner he can get integrated with the team.

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