7 Targets for Phoenix Suns before the 2024 trade deadline
By Tyler Watts
3. Dennis Smith Jr.
The Suns search for a backup point guard may stop in Brooklyn. The two front offices did the Kevin Durant blockbuster one year ago, so they should have plenty of familiarity. Things have not gone as planned for the Nets this season. They are eight games under .500 and have won just four of their last 19 contests. Brooklyn may not completely sell-off, but they should be looking to move expiring contracts for any value.
Dennis Smith Jr. signed a one-year minimum contract in the offseason to join the Nets. The former top-ten pick remade his career one year ago by showcasing his ability to play stout defense and make plays in Charlotte. The Mavericks drafted him to be a star in 2017, but DSJ has settled in as a quality role player.
Phoenix would love to have him coming off their bench. He is not the same athlete fans remember from his college days, but Smith Jr. competes hard. The 26-year-old is averaging 7.4 points, 4.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 19.7 minutes per game this season.
Dennis Smith’s expiring contract should help him fall into the Suns’ price range. Phoenix could fill their backup point guard role and improve their defense by landing the 6’2 guard. The Suns would be his seventh NBA team, but it would give him his first crack at playoff basketball.