Phoenix Suns: 3 Storylines that Cannot be Ignored this Season

Phoenix Suns Unignorable Storylines: Dario Saric Trade Rumors

Power forward and occasional center Dario Saric proved himself as a solid spark plug for the Suns off the bench last year, but a torn ACL ended his run a few games early, likely to also keep him out this year as well. But at only 27 years old, his best basketball lies in the future, rather than past.

However, Phoenix embodies a true “win now” team for the 2021-22 season, making a Saric useless to them, but still valuable to anyone going through a rebuild. That presents him as a trade piece clear as day for this team, certain to make him a talked about player anytime the Suns put themselves in position to orchestrate a trade.

Even with the season yet to tip off, this storyline has already gained traction, especially with the Suns inquiring about San Antonio Spurs forward Thaddeus Young. The same goes for Jalen Smith, but as someone actually able to play right now, Saric represents the more likely piece to go offered up first.

Last year, Saric averaged 8.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field. He comes together as an already solid player with high upside given his ability to stretch the floor. At the same time, his contract carries over into 2023, so he remains a valued asset for any team looking toward the future, rather than the present.