Valley of the Suns
Fansided

The Phoenix Suns should trade their first pick

By Andrew Clark

MIAMI, FL - MARCH 5: Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Miami Heat reacts to a play against the Phoenix Suns on March 5, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 5: Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Miami Heat reacts to a play against the Phoenix Suns on March 5, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Charlotte Hornets

His Airness, Michael Jordan, has stated that he will only trade Kemba Walker for a star. DeAndre Ayton may fit that description.

The Hornets are cash strapped and maxing out Walker isn’t going to help them get out of that hole. They need to hit the reset button and they’ve brought in a new General Manager to help them do that. Moving up 10 spots for the potential cornerstone on a rebuild makes a lot of sense. At that point too Dwight Howard would probably be out the door, a serious possibility as he is only signed through next season potentially making him an important piece for a playoff team.

For the Suns they get an elite point guard, a high potential shooter, and a great future asset in Malik Monk to move down ten slots. It isn’t perfect for them as Monk becomes a little redundant on a roster that already sports Devin Booker and Troy Daniels, but he is a nice additional piece, especially if the same philosophy as the Boston scenario of flipping the young player in a trade to fill a hole at another position can be seen through fruition.

Next: Five reasons the 2017-18 was a Success

Conclusion

All of these trades are clearly heavy in the Suns’ favor and that’s as it should be.

As Phoenix has learned, you don’t often get the 1st overall pick. As a result, other teams are often willing to overpay to have it. Given the choice between a diverse range of proven assets or a single sky high asset, the Suns should trade for the diverse range. History and logic support the concept.

If Ayton develops into the next David Robinson it would sting. But the odds are not likely that that will happen.

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