The Phoenix Suns have more than a couple of things in their favor as the March 25 trade deadline approaches.
The most important item: the quality and upside the team has shown over its past 46 games.
The Suns’ 34-12 run since the league restarted last year shows they don’t necessarily need to swing big at the trade deadline, but there are moves to consider.
From shooters to rim protectors, the Phoenix Suns’ options figure to tempt GM James Jones and the personnel department.
Just survey the lay of the land.
Seems obvious, but there is always the temptation of hitting the panic button and leaping before you look.
The next seven days will bring a sliding scale of options. Some won’t be acceptable; others could find relevancy.
The Suns no longer have their mid-level exception, used in the acquisition of Jae Crowder, but they do have their Bi Annual exception.
The most efficient plan includes using the BAE to ensure they have the advantage in acquiring a buyout candidate.
While teams without the BAE can offer only a minimum, the Suns could throw the extra money at one, so Phoenix, now a preferred destination for buyout players and those who could help choose their destination, should be prepared to get something done quickly.
The Suns already have a comfortable, affordable and talented deep end of the bench, so the urgency to gain further depth is not as high as that of other contenders.
And the team is undeniably competitive, as evidenced by the unanimous amount of respect shown from around the NBA community.
That’s the first move: wait it out and scan the buyout list, don’t force anything but be prepared to pull the trigger if the right fit becomes available.
Most industry insiders don’t expect Phoenix to make a splash, but there is no doubt that Jones will closely monitor any option that makes the Suns more formidable now — without sacrificing the team’s promising future.