Valley of the Suns
Fansided

6 events that would make this draft day the best ever

By Adam Maynes

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 19: NBA Draft prospect, Deandre Ayton takes a 'selfie' at the Empire State Building in New York, New York on June 19, 2018. 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 19: NBA Draft prospect, Deandre Ayton takes a 'selfie' at the Empire State Building in New York, New York on June 19, 2018. 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 06: Jared Dudley #3 and Tyson Chandler #4 of the Phoenix Suns vie for the rebound during the NBA game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on November 6, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers defeated the Suns 119-108. 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 Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 06: Jared Dudley #3 and Tyson Chandler #4 of the Phoenix Suns vie for the rebound during the NBA game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on November 6, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers defeated the Suns 119-108. 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 Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /

They trade Chandler and/or Dudley for picks to create a ton of cap space

This is an option that wouldn’t necessarily excite the fanbase to it’s core when it happened, but it would be something that would make fans pause and presume a secondary move of some kind should be expected somewhere down the line this offseason.

It was reported right before the 2017 draft that the Suns offered Jared Dudley to the New Orleans Pelicans for two second round picks. The move would have cleared about $12M in cap space both last offseason and this, and would have given McDonough the opportunity to seek free agency help then, if not still now.

Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns /

Phoenix Suns

So what if on draft day McDonough is able to actually pull off such a move this year, but instead of just one expiring contract, he moves two?

Granted, if only one of either Dudley or Tyson Chandler is traded for the equivalent of cap space, fans would definitely raise an eyebrow in interest as it means that Phoenix would then be able to acquire at least one potentially impact player in free agency this summer.

However if both  players were moved, wouldn’t that immediately set fans up for the expectation that a big-time star was potentially on his way to the Valley of the Suns this offseason, as Phoenix would have cap space the likes of which they haven’t seen since at least 2014 when McDonough offered both LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony max contracts to play together, or maybe even since 1998 when Jerry Colangelo believed that he had the ability to acquire Scottie Pippen, before the change in the CBA prevented such a move from occurring?

Creating a ton of cap space by itself might not be the a world-shaker for Suns fans, but it certainly could help make the 2018 NBA draft one of the greatest in franchise history, if Phoenix is then able to later acquire a star in free agency or trade.

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