At this point, we know not how things will play out for the Phoenix Suns during the 2021-22 season. But we do know that the team hopes to once again compete for a championship after coming just two games away from winning its first one a few months ago.
While giving way to this mentality, expect the Suns to pursue roster improvement very aggressively even as the regular season unfolds. If the coaching staff sees a player struggling to fit in or find their grove, then they go onto the trade block. If an opportunity to upgrade the roster by sending over a few pieces presents itself, then they need to pursue it.
Put simply, it is “win now” time for the Suns. Their front office must take up these practices, even if they feel slightly out of character given Phoenix’s prior struggles to field a competitive team.
The offseason’s free agency fire sale kicked off about a month ago, allowing the market to somewhat simmer down over these last few weeks. Although some GMs might try and pull off a few more stunts over during the offseason’s latter portion, the show is over for the most part.
With that considered, most NBA rosters, including Phoenix’s, remain highly unlikely to go altered from now until next year’s offseason. But again with the Suns increased drive to win a championship, nothing feels set in stone.
The trade deadline might invite Phoenix to pack up and ship off a few young players and maybe some draft capital to add another star. Player buyouts always make things interesting as well, which might force the Suns to straight up cut one or two players to make room for newly freed up veterans.
But throughout it all, watch for the Suns to dangle these three players above opposing teams during the 2021-22 season as they prepare make a bid for a championship even stronger than their one from last year.
Phoenix Suns Players Likely to be Traded this Season: Jalen Smith
The Suns took Jalen Smith with the No. 10 overall pick during the 2020 NBA Draft. But even though Phoenix clearly saw something in him given his high selection, they shelved him during most games last year, as he took the floor for only 27 contests and averaged 5.8 minutes per game while doing so.
But during the NBA Summer League a few weeks ago, Smith again showed his potential. He fought on the glass better than anyone, averaging a league-high 12.5 rebounds per game. He also scored 16.2 points per game, the most by anyone on the Suns.
Most importantly though, Smith illustrated an ability to stretch the floor during this run, averaging 2.5 attempts from deep per game, collectively hitting at a 35.7 percent rate. The modern game loves bigs who possess the ability to shoot the basketball, making Smith an incredibly intriguing prospect even despite his shortcomings thus far.
But why should the Suns part ways with this product who clearly still carries serious upside? Well…Smith’s great play during the Summer League at the end of the day…came only during the Summer League.
Seemingly every year one or two players make waves during this tournament, and then fall back into mediocrity once real basketball starts to unfold. For a team looking to compete now, they need guys which they can rely on, and a stat-filled Summer League performance cannot overcome how unplayable Smith was last year.
Also for a top 10 overall pick playing as a second-year participant, a performance such as the one which Smith just enjoyed quite frankly is something to be expected, rather than celebrated. For both the Suns and Smith, a fresh start for him elsewhere feels like the right option. He still holds some value, and can be advertised as a raw prospect to throw into a trade with a second rounder for a rotation piece.
Phoenix Suns Players Likely to be Traded this Season: Dario Saric
Expect the Suns to pursue trading Dario Saric more extensively than anyone amidst their “win now” efforts this year, as Saric offers them nothing from a short-term standpoint while he sits out the 2021-22 season to heal up from his torn ACL. But the injury also makes Saric a player worth inquiring about for only a few select teams really looking to build over the long term, making any negotiations involving him very tricky.
When healthy though, Saric embodies a solid contributor with enough talent to start for a playoff team if needed. He often worked off the bench for Phoenix last year, but still averaged 8.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Playing formerly for the Philadelphia 76ers, Saric presented himself as a solid contributor for any team to invest in. During 10 postseason games for Philly, Saric averaged 17.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. At only 27-years-old, his best basketball likely remains ahead, and any team playing strictly the long game right now might want to add him.
This one feels unfair given the troubling nature of his injury and how well Saric fit with the team, but again—the Suns need to do all which they can to win a title next year. Literally anyone who can play embodies an upgrade from Saric this season. Obviously the Suns should try and get as much as they can for him, but even a minimal role player still helps them at this point.
Phoenix Suns Players Likely to be Traded this Season: Abdel Nader
The Suns signed Abdel Nader with their bird rights exception this summer, welcoming him back to the team even after barely playing last year due to a lingering knee injury. Having suited up for just 24 games with Phoenix and already certain to play behind Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, Nader’s place on the Suns feels very unknown at this time, naturally jeopardizing his position with the team.
With this considered, if a big-name free agent were to reach a buyout agreement with their old team down the line, like what happened with Andre Drummond last year, Nader embodies the first person to cut should the Suns need any extra room.
Phoenix still owns an additional roster spot to fill, putting a one-man buffer between Nader and his potential exit from the team for now. However, significant time still stands between the Suns and the buyout market’s opening, during which they could easily fill that slot and push Nader back onto the cliff.
During the games he did play though, Nader averaged a modest 6.7 points per game while shooting a more noteworthy 41.9 percent from outside. If Nader stays healthy and continues to shoot well, he might swap positions as the “first man out” with Elfrid Payton or Frank Kaminsky, depending on the position played by whichever bought out player they chose to pursue.
But for now, Nader sits below the rest. Like with Saric, this comes not due to any disappointing play on Nader’s behalf, but rather just the business of the game.