2 potential trades should the Phoenix Suns turn their attention to another gettable All-Star

Phoenix Suns deal Chris Paul for Donovan Mitchell, in doing so retaining their depth going into next season.

Moving Paul for Mitchell would undoubtedly be a drastic move, even if it would mean less positional change than the previous trade idea. Here’s how it may look:

"Phoenix Suns Receive: Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gay Utah Jazz Receive: Chris Paul, Cameron Johnson, 2023, 2025 and 2027 first-round picks"

The big question here is – could the Suns get away without having a traditional point-guard in the starting lineup? Taking the optimistic route, yes they could. A few weeks ago, we examined the development of Booker and his potential to morph into a James Harden like player.

With Paul out of the picture, Booker will have the runway to fully explore his offensive capabilities. Mitchell himself is also a capable combo guard, averaging 5.3 assists with the Jazz last season.

Is giving away Johnson and picks in addition worth it though, particularly when Paul and Mitchell could be similar level players for another season? Yes, the immediate short-term improvements would be very little. But this would be about the long-term, putting Booker and Mitchell (both 25) in position to be the best backcourt in the league over the next 5-8 years. That’s in contrast to the Suns currently limited timeline with Paul and Booker.

It would also be a case of cashing in on Paul before he really hits a steep decline. Why would the Jazz want a 37-year-old point-guard though when they’re entering a rebuild? The idea here would be that Paul is immediately flipped for picks, or maybe a third team gets involved in the initial transaction.

For example, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking to take advantage of whatever prime LeBron James has left. They’re also looking at moving on from the mess that is Russell Westbrook, however with the Durant news, it’s unlikely they’ll now get their hands on Kyrie Irving.

Would they not be willing to flip Westbrook, along with the 2027 and/or 2029 first-round picks for Paul? It’s entirely possible while being incredibly ironic given the two were traded for each other a few years back.

If the Jazz don’t want to pay Johnson, they’d probably get a first-round pick for him from a contending team at the trade deadline. All up, the Jazz could procure six first-round picks while not having to take on contracts beyond next season.