The Phoenix Suns need a power forward and Lauri Markkanen would be the impossible dream target for the future.
The presumptive thory throughout the offseason has been that the Phoenix Suns will potentially target a point guard with the sixth overall pick in the draft this month, then seek their power forward in free agency.
There are a number of free agent power forwards potentially available to be had, but by acquiring one through FA then means that the Suns’ veteran point guard options are limited by cost or time via development.
What if the Suns could instead move out of the first round entirely (something that I am a strong advocate for) and target a power forward in trade, then utilize that additional savings on signing the best available point guard at a greater cost (this might be the only way that they could acquire D’Angelo Russell, for instance).
The reason that I personally love the idea of signing Tobias Harris in free agency, for instance, is because he is such a fantastic stretch-four. His 3-point shooting is outstanding for a power forward, and while he is in his second half of his 20’s (I cannot believe that in NBA terms it seems like he is somehow getting old), he could very easily be a strong contributor for the better part of a decade, stretching the floor for Deandre Ayton and giving Devin Booker a strong shooter to hit when he is double-teamed on the perimeter.
However, while it is possible that James Jones could acquire Tobias and still find a legitimate point guard in free agency, Harris’ contract would limit Jones’ options and force him to seek some of the less-sexy names available, who we have discussed here.
But what if the Suns acquired a solid, young stretch-four (one that isn’t talked about at all as being tradable at the moment); someone who not only offered Phoenix that outside shooting power forward, although at a much closer age to the young core; one who is still under his rookie contract; and who through those contract savings, would give Jones a greater opportunity to sign one of the better-known names in free agency at point guard, potentially making the Suns a heckaof a lot better, much quicker?
The perfect player for the Phoenix Suns to target would be Chicago’s Lauri Markkanen, although such a move is probably impossible.