Darius Garland ‘Promise’ rumors could impact the Phoenix Suns

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we’ve said it before, but only because it makes Perfect sense

Yes, we have written about this a number of times (and even discussed the topic briefly here recently), but the addition of the new rumor of Garland’s ‘promise’ makes things all too real now that Ball’s days with the Lakers may be numbered.

Granted, there is no guarantee that the Suns will be able to pull off a trade. There are a million variables involved, the first one being that no one yet knows if Garland really has been given a promise and if that promise came from L.A.

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However, it does not hurt at all Phoenix’s chances to make a deal if this can be a reality knowing that they need a point guard, they have players that they could potentially move to make the deal happen (if the Lakers do not necessarily need to move a player to clear up cap space, a one-for-one T.J. Warren for Lonzo Ball trade should work for both teams – although, in that case I do think that the Lakers would have to throw in a future protected first round pick), and LaVar Ball has already made his infamous comments that he wanted to speak into existence a Lonzo trade to the Suns.

If that was not entirely  bluster (like Kobe Bryant‘s statement that he wanted to be traded to the Phoenix Suns in 2007), then that connection is something that should be taken seriously even now.

There is no doubt that the backcourt pairing of Ball and Devin Booker would be exciting, and while Lonzo is not the best shooter in the league, his passing ability is something that cannot be ignored – and we all  know that it was the team’s point guard’s collective inability to get Deandre Ayton the ball in the appropriate spots last season that killed his chances to really dominate in his rookie season.

The addition of Ball does not a playoff team make.

However, he does make them better, and presuming that Phoenix is then in turn able to retain Kelly Oubre and add another intricate piece elsewhere (they still have their own 6th overall pick to play with, whether it is to select someone or move the pick for veteran help), a potential lineup including Ball, Booker, Kelly, and Ayton, is a really good starting point moving forward.

At the moment, no one is really sure why Garland backed out of the Draft Combine and whether or not the rumored ‘promise’ is from the L.A. Lakers.

However, it all seems to make too much sense, and if the Phoenix Suns can take advantage and trade for Lonzo Ball, he can be the piece that helps the Suns take that next step as a young, up-and-coming team, who truly is a point guard away from seeing what the current Young Suns can really accomplish together.