By this point you’re probably well aware of the Phoenix Suns’ interest in Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic. It’s a move that could happen in the coming weeks, with the Jazz going into full rebuild mode having already moved on from their two key pillars – Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
The deal seems fairly straight-forward, with Bogdanovic likely to cost a lottery protected first-round pick and the contracts of Jae Crowder and Landry Shamet. However, could there be a more significant deal potentially at play?
The Phoenix Suns are in position to a make a major move, with the possibility of acquiring both Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson from the Utah Jazz.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Schwartz has proposed a deal that would see both Bogdanovic and Clarkson head to the Suns. In exchange, the Jazz get Crowder, Shamet, Dario Saric, a top-five protected 2023 first-round pick, and a 2023 second-round pick.
"“Can the Suns rely on internal improvements to make it out of the second round this year, especially with Chris Paul set to turn 38 in May? They shouldn’t wait to find out. Both Bogdanovic (starting power forward) and Clarkson (sixth man) would be terrific additions to this Phoenix core, one that should still have championship aspirations”, Schwartz writes."
The 30-year-old Clarkson is set to make $13.3 million this season, then has a $14.3 million player option for 2023-24. A perennial Sixth Man of the Year contender and winner in 2021, Clarkson would provide a much needed scoring punch off the Suns bench.
Phoenix finished just 18th in bench scoring last season, but a combination of Clarkson and Cameron Johnson could prove the best backup duo in the entire league.
A 3-for-2 trade would leave the Suns with just 13 contracted players on the main roster. Therefore they may need to have free agent contingencies in place should a deal go down prior to training camp.