Should the Phoenix Suns target Dejounte Murray?

The NBA trade deadline continues to draw closer, with a number of teams looking to make moves to bolster their rosters for a championship run. One of the players who has received a lot of interest is Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks.

Teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks have expressed interest in the former All-Star, with many impressed in his playing style.

The Phoenix Suns could also make a move for the star, with the team noticeably playing without a traditional starting point guard for the entire season.

There are a number of reasons Murray could fit the team, and a move would work out financially by trading a combination of Grayson Allen and some other role players to the Atlanta Hawks.

Murray has proven himself as the primary ball handler and is a skilled passer. He would have plenty of options to utilize, with a player of Murray's caliber aiding Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal in getting easier looks.

When playing with the San Antonio Spurs, Murray was a triple double threat every night. He can create his own scoring, averaging 21.1 points per game this season, meaning he would be an option that could be utilized when the big three are drawing a lot of defensive attention.

Murray also is a great rebounder from the guard position and averages nearly six rebounds per game for his career. He is an all-rounder who provides a lot for a team, and would certainly assist the Suns.

Murray is also a good defender, being able to defend some of the best guards in the league. With the Suns competing in the West with a lot of elite guards, Murray would come in handy to help ease some of the pressure of defending from both Beal and Booker.

However, while Murray would fit well with the Suns and provide a solid point guard for the team, there are some concerns with targeting the star. A trade would require the Suns to give up Grayson Allen, who has been their third best player at times when the Suns have suffered injuries.

It would also require giving away some of their depth, meaning if the team continues to have health issues they may struggle to field a deep team.

With Murray's extension this past offseason, he is set to receive a pay increase as well. This would make it very difficult for the Suns to keep all their talent as Beal, Booker and Durant are also on sizeable contracts.

Having a team that would be unable to keep it's depth and assets on the bench would make contending for a championship more challenging unless some veteran players would take minimum deals to play for the team. The only way to avoid this would be to trade one of the Suns' four top players for him, however that would arguably not make the team any better.

Murray certainly would be a player many teams would wish to acquire, as shown by the interest surrounding the former All-Star. However, the Suns would be wary to target him as any player they would need to give up for Murray may not result in an overall improved squad.