7 Targets for Phoenix Suns before the 2024 trade deadline

5. JaVale McGee

Suns fans remember McGee’s lone season in the Valley. He backed up DeAndre Ayton as Phoenix was dispatched in the second round of the playoffs by the Mavericks in 2022. The veteran big man is not just familiar with being part of the Suns. He won a championship in Los Angeles with head coach Frank Vogel. McGee was the Lakers' primary starting center in 2020 and played a key role in Vogel’s defense.

The 36-year-old has seen his production drop off since leaving the Suns. He signed to be the Mavs starter in the 2022 offseason but lasted just a handful of games before slipping out of their rotation. This year, he has been in and out of the mix in Sacramento and is averaging just 8.1 minutes per game.

The Kings may bite on any offer for JaVale McGee. He is on a one-year minimum contract and not part of the team’s plans. If Frank Vogel thinks McGee can be an impactful backup big man in Phoenix, the Suns could likely acquire him for one second-round draft pick.

Jusuf Nurkic has locked down the Suns starting center role, but Drew Eubanks has been up-and-down. Neither Bol Bol or Chimezie Metu have taken out as the third-string big man. Phoenix would like to add someone with the ability to play whenever Eubanks or Nurkic is out, struggling, or in foul trouble. JaVale McGee has won three championships and played with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. He would be a fantastic third center for the Suns.