Ideal Suns' trade candidate might just have forced team to keep him beyond deadline

The Phoenix Suns continue to prove they are the surprise package of this NBA season, and in recent weeks their roster has proven they can hang with anybody in the league.

One player who missed out on this group taking another leap forward was Grayson Allen. The 30-year-old sidelined for almost a month with a knee issue.

Suns may have to reconsider stance on trading Allen

It has long been considered by fans in The Valley that the sharpshooter would be the odd man out as he has real value around the league and the Suns also have plenty of players they want to keep beyond this season.

These include Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams (the franchise is thrilled with what they've gotten from him so far) and even the tandem of Jordan Goodwin and Jamaree Bouyea.

With Royce O'Neale performing a similar role to Allen and doing well with the starters (he's started 32-of-37 games), there appeared to be even less of a need for his services.

But after a dreadful first outing back versus the Houston Rockets in which he went scoreless in 19 minutes of action, Allen reminded fans what he can bring to the table during the victory over his former team in the Memphis Grizzlies.

He shot 50 percent from deep, with 15 of his 19 points coming from beyond the arc. That was not only by far the biggest scoring punch off the bench, it also only trailed Brooks (21 points) on the night.

Head coach Jordan Ott might have built a defensive scheme that has produced great results, but the less talked about aspect of his game plan involves 3-point shooting.

The Suns taking the eighth most each game (39.3) and sitting 10th in attempts made (36.4 percent). When you have a guy who once led the league in 3-pointers made, you find a way to make it work.

It's not like the Suns are trying to bring youngsters through and lose games either, and Allen gives them a better chance to win. Let's not forget that prior to Brooks making a massive leap this season, it was Allen who was the secondary playmaker for stretches behind Devin Booker.

Coach Ott has also favored using Allen and O'Neale as smaller and quicker guys to defend scoring bigs, but both also don't give up as much size as the likes of Gillespie.

Obviously if the right offer comes along the Suns have to take it. But why change what is clearly working? Allen has come back and shown he makes sense with this group.