A Western Conference Finals rematch against the Los Angeles Clippers represents a juicy entree for the Phoenix Suns to chow down on tonight. But with an exciting week regarding trade availability also on the horizon, one cannot help but look ahead at what, or who, might be next on the team’s menu.
This morning, Shams Charania of The Athletic published a story mulling over several different teams and how they might approach the December 15th date, which opens the door for teams to trade their players signed as recently as this past offseason.
Charania’s story mainly revolved around Kyrie Irving and his potential return to the Brooklyn Nets, but it also dealt with several other squads looking to add or subtract players sooner rather than later. This included the Indiana Pacers, who Charania also noted might blow up their entire roster last week.
Sources: The Indiana Pacers are moving toward rebuild, receptive to trade talks centered on Caris LeVert and either Domantas Sabonis or Myles Turner.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 7, 2021
Story with @bkravitz at @TheAthletic: https://t.co/2bGjubFtWe
But today, the report mentioned the Suns as a team that has “shown interest in recent years” with regard to Indiana forward Domantas Sabonis. Although this comment tying the Suns to Sabonis reads somewhat vaguely and fails to describe any current pursuits made by the team, Charania still included it for a reason.
As a versatile big, Sabonis represents the exact player Phoenix needs to take their team to the next level. Granted, the Suns nearly sit on a level of their own, tied for the league’s best record at 21-4. But regardless, a long regular season still stands between them and their ultimate goal. The great teams always look for ways to improve themselves even while at the top, and the Suns cannot afford to do any less.
Although Jae Crowder adequately fills out the last forward spot for the Suns right now, he remains something of a role player amongst a starting five riddled with All-Star talent—playing the Hawkeye role on this team of Avengers.
But Sabonis sits with two All-Stars under his belt, currently averaging 18.2 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Those numbers nearly double Crowder’s across each statistical category.
The upgrade Sabonis provides is clear as day. However, the way in which the Suns bring him to the desert looks quite foggy. Mentioning this alone feels like ripping off a band-aid, but to acquire Sabonis, the Suns likely need to part ways with some young talent, or draft picks.