Rumors: How the Phoenix Suns can acquire a Central Division starting point guard
By Adam Maynes
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls have some familiar faces at point guard on their roster. Would the Suns make an offer for Shaquille Harrison? How about Tyler Ulis? Both players know the system, and while neither are starters in the NBA, they might just be good enough to handle the reigns in Phoenix for the rest of this season if given the opportunity.
Phoenix won’t do that and truthfully it doesn’t make any sense to bring either back anyway, but if for whatever reason James Jones became desperate, he could call on them.
In the offseason Zach LaVine would have been an amazing get as he is currently playing out of his mind. But Chicago is one of those teams like the Brooklyn Nets who have the luxury of multiple starting-caliber point guards, one of which could be traded to fill a deficit somewhere else.
The point guard I’d love the Suns to take a run at would be Kris Dunn.
Dunn showed up last season and looked fantastic. He is now hurt with an MCL Sprain and might not be back until December.
Perfect.
If Chicago would be willing to trade him, Phoenix could allow him to rest and recuperate here while Elie Okobo gets his feet wet then make Okobo the primary backup after Dunn returns.
Acquiring him would probably cost either a first round pick or Mikal Bridges, but if the Suns have faith that he might be the point guard of the future, it would be worth the risk.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers have a problem: they don’t really have a point guard to trade.
They run with starter George Hill, a veteran that many Suns fans had targeted this past offseason as a potential free agent target that never materialized, and rookie Collin Sexton as their primary backup – another target of Suns fans should Phoenix have not traded for Mikal Bridges.
Originally I believed that the Cavaliers would not accept fair value for either of them (a second round pick for Hill and a future first and Mikal Brides for Sexton), but as this season has unfolded thus far and Cleveland is obviously not going anywhere in the Eastern Conference, they might be willing to at least accept a low-end pick for Hill to allow Sexton to grow as the starter this season in a rebuilding year.
While a lot of fans had their sights set on Sexton, I was very happy that Phoenix avoided him because – like Kemba Walker – I see him too much in the Eric Bledsoe mold of score first and distribute later.
That said, a young point guard is a young point guard, so if for whatever reason Cleveland offered Sexton, I’d listen.
It won’t happen, but then again, Cleveland did once trade a future All-NBA point guard to Phoenix after only a half a season into his rookie year.
Then again, Sexton is no Kevin Johnson, Cleveland doesn’t have another Mark Price, and Phoenix doesn’t have another Larry Nance.