Phoenix Suns help send Kyrie Irving to the Pelicans, get Jaxson Hayes and Tomas Satoransky
With this transaction, the Suns finally cut free Dario Saric, who most foresee the Suns parting ways with at one point or another this year. Chandler Hutchison also leaves The Valley, but his impact means very little to the Suns right now as a two-way player.
Meanwhile, Jaxson Hayes and Tomas Satoransky come over from the bayou.
Just by being healthy, Hayes already strikes as an upgrade at power forward with Saric out for the season. His athleticism makes him an intriguing piece especially to pair with Paul as another lob threat beside JaVale McGee. Also with Ayton’s absence already extending longer than originally expected, Hayes’s presence adds some more insurance for this team down low, which might become important.
Satarnosky also comes over as a sweetener. You can never have too much shooting, and with him operating as another 3-point bomber, he only makes the Suns that much more dynamic at the offensive end.
Moving onto the big ticket items, New Orleans represents one of the few cities that might want to take a chance on Irving. Currently owning the league’s worst record, a shaky relationship with prodigy Zion Williamson, and an executive who allegedly fights his old coaches, the Pelicans desperately need something to turn their franchise around.
With Irving being one of the most gifted people to ever pick up a basketball, he embodies one of the only players able to make the immediate, and positive on-court impact which this team needs. This transaction also reunites David Griffin with Irving, who he originally drafted out of Duke.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn attains Jonas Valanciunas, who helps solidify the center position between Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge. Saric also poises to help the Nets out big time next year should they fail to re-sign Griffin this summer.