The Phoenix Suns and Lonzo Ball. Seriously – Why not?

John Gambadoro said that the Phoenix Suns are absolutely not in trade talks with the L.A. Lakers and the 6th pick for onzo Ball. But seriously – why not?

This needs to be said until they finally get one: the Phoenix Suns desperately need a point guard.

They’d prefer a veteran but they also want youth (James Jones has specifically mentioned that he will target players as old as 27).

Phoenix Suns

They’d prefer not to max out all of their cap space on one signing, but they’re willing to use up as much as necessary to get the best player they can.

Kyle Lowry is probably sticking around in Toronto; John Wall is only owed a couple of million dollars less than the federal government is in debt; Kemba Walker is going to require a max contract – and Charlotte will probably match anything offered; Malcolm Brogdon has had far too many foot injuries at his age and according to Gambo at 98.7 Arizona Sports says is not insured;

But one player that has been at least rumored in connection with the Phoenix Suns for much of the last two years is Lonzo Ball, the 21-year-old walking triple-double threat with an obnoxious father and the worst tattoo of dice ever.

There is probably no player in possible connection with the Phoenix Suns who is more highly debated among the fandom than Ball, yet he is probably one of only two  players who would seem to fit all of the baseline qualities that the franchise says they want – while also probably giving up the absolute least of any assets of any point guard the Suns can acquire.

Which brings us specifically to the point:

Gambo says that the Suns are not  in discussion with the L.A. Lakers with the 6th overall pick for

Lonzo Ball.

He didn’t say that they have zero interest in the past (I do believe too that he has noted that

Phoenix does have interest in Ball), and he didn’t say that they wouldn’t potentially pursue him in the near future, but it stands to reason that if that is all true, that they should  be interested in making a trade for him right now.

Why wait?

The Phoenix Suns and their fans were extremely disappointed when their pick slid from potentially being number one overall to sixth.

Sure, there should be value at six and there is no reason to believe that they couldn’t  find a superstar at that spot (or at least a highly valuable player), but the odds are low and the risk of a bust or a flop are exponentially greater than they would be at five, four, three, etc. (as if they have had much luck in the top-five recently anyway – save for Deandre Ayton).

So, if there is the possibility of offering the sixth overall pick for a player who only a couple of years ago was taken second, why not?

The Phoenix Suns and their fans should not in any way be married to the sixth pick on any level.

It should strictly be looked and used as a way of improving the team no matter how that happens.

If traded (which I personally believe they should do), James Jones should look for the best possible return on that pick (if that is Lonzo, or in a package for D’Angelo Russell, whichever moves brings back the most value), and then make that deal.

And if the Lakers would be willing to do a one-for-one swap, then the cost is incredibly low considering that literally anyone else the Suns might target will cost triple, quadruple, if literally quintuple  what Lonzo is being paid right now: $8.7 million this coming season with a team option for $11 million the following season and then the opportunity for his first contract extension.

The only thing that Phoenix would be giving up in the near term would be some cap space, which can be quickly opened up by finding a taker for Josh Jackson and/or Tyler Johnson and in tandum would help make way for other moves (anyone interested in Julius Randle?.

Lonzo too is a good  point guard.

Is he great? No. Can he be? Absolutely. He is 21.

Yes – he is a terrible shooter, so have him pass the ball! Last season the Suns had point guards who could neither pass or shoot. They’d be thrilled  to have someone who can at least do one – and do it very well.

To me, the biggest worry is that that pick will then be used to make the Los Angeles Lakers better. That coupled with their fourth overall pick LeBron James (he is in charge, right?) would then use the sixth overall pick in a package for someone like Anthony Davis (although during the season rumor had it that the Pelicans wanted Lonzo Ball in a trade for Davis, and I am not sure if now that the Pelicans have the first overall pick that they would want three picks in the top-six).

That said, such a possibility should in no way impact the Phoenix Suns potentially making this (or this kind) of trade with the Lakers this offseason.

Lonzo Ball is young, in his rookie contract for two more seasons, and a good point guard with plenty of upside to grow into. John Gambadoro says that the Suns are not in discussions with the sixth overall pick and Lonzo Ball. But why not?