3 Trade Deadline Deals Involving Suns Big Man Dario Saric

Phoenix Suns trade Dario Saric to the San Antonio Spurs, get Thaddeus Young

How about one more swing at Thaddeus Young? His numbers and overall contributions to the Spurs this year remain minimal, but with Saric literally providing nothing, he still arrives as an upgrade for the Suns by default.

To complete the deal, Phoenix offers the rebuilding Spurs two pieces that play into their timeline quite nicely. Frank Kaminsky first comes along as a cheap development project. The Spurs love taking on such players more than anybody, making their appetite for the breakout forward larger than anyone else’s.

But Saric represents the true prize for San Antonio. As a young player still at just 27-years-old, but also with extended playoff run between his days with Phoenix and the Philadelphia 76ers, he resembles the perfect guy to lead the Spurs through their rebuild with both a promising future and winning experience.

However, with Saric possessing an extra year on his contract, the Suns need to sell San Antonio on both involving him in their future and Kaminsky’s likelihood to re-sign especially if their front office hears rumblings of any better deals coming from other teams.

But if the Suns come to the table alone with Saric, Kaminsky, and another second rounder to polish things off, it makes sense for the Spurs to agree. Young enters free agency after this year, so rather than letting him walk for nothing, this trade grants them an opportunity to at least collect some sort of reward.