3 players from the NBA Finals who could be realistic targets for the Suns next year
By Luke Duffy
3 players from NBA Finals who could be realistic targets for Suns next year.
1. Gabe Vincent
We’re entering the realm of dreams here, but why not see what is possible? Gabe Vincent has been one of the standout players for the Heat on their run to the finals. He went undrafted in 2018, and since then has worked tireless to put himself in the position that he finds himself in now.
In a seven game thriller against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals, Vincent put up 15.8 points per game while shooting a ridiculous 51.6 percent from deep on over five attempts per game. It speaks volumes that in the one game he missed in that series because of a sprained ankle, that his loss was telling from the jump.
Gabe Vincent is expected to have a ‘significant market around the league’ this summer, per @ShamsCharania
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 16, 2023
(Via @FanDuelTV ) pic.twitter.com/FHCf43D3xb
Vincent is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and you can bet the Heat are going to send a lot of money his way to keep him. This is something the Suns cannot do, but would the Heat be interested in Chris Paul in a sign-and-trade deal? You would think not, although 37-year-old Kyle Lowry may not be there next year.
It is clear that an ageing point guard can thrive with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, head coach Eric Spoelstra and the often talked about “Heat Culture”. Paul may have fallen off during the regular season, but he’s still a better player than Lowry and if a team had to choose between the two, Paul would come out on top.
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Again, the Heat aren’t likely to want Paul and financially the Suns are in no position to do this. The Heat wouldn’t even want Ayton as a result of having Adebayo on the roster. But the Suns are going to make moves this summer, and if Ayton was traded for depth and Paul was moved to get his mammoth contract off the books, who knows what can happen?
Vincent would be an ideal scrappy guard next to the superstars already who would defend at a high level and could put up 15 points per game. His ascension in the league has been nothing short of remarkable, and he has gotten a wealth of postseason experience this year. He would be an incredible backup, but is overqualified. Vincent would also be an excellent starter for this group.