The Phoenix Suns are surely going to have to make some big changes to save not only this season, but their future as well. Which is why you are going to hear all manner of names linked with a move to The Valley between now and the trade deadline, despite the franchise having barely any future draft capital to bring to the negotiation table. One such player is Domantas Sabonis, but he would make what is one of the least effective defenses in the entire NBA even worse.
Sabonis a clear offensive upgrade when Suns have bigger problems
Sabonis is one of the best big men in the league at passing, creating for others and being an offensive hub. Like a more polished version of two-time All-Star Nikola Vucevic during his prime. There is no doubt he would make the Suns a better team offensively, and he could be the point-forward option that would allow Devin Booker and Jalen Green to coexist in the backcourt.
But the defensive end is where Head Coach Jordan Ott built a team that went to the playoffs last season, and Sabonis would be a black hole if he were added to the mix. He is not capable of consistently stopping bigger opponents who run him down, while guys close to his own skill level are able to move around him.
The Suns sit second-to-last in the NBA in points allowed per game (121.4), and when Sabonis is on the court for the Kings, they allow 120.7. That poor number can be explained by the fact that the Kings aren't very good, but neither are the Suns defensively, and this is all the proof needed that Sabonis wouldn't help. Outside of taking the pressure off Khaman Maluach, this would be an awful fit.
Suns would have to give up player of real value to land Sabonis
The Kings might be known as an organization that regularly makes head-scratching decisions, so trading Sabonis wouldn't surprise anybody. But because of the cap situations of both the Suns and Kings, it is likely that Dillon Brooks would have to be included in any deal. He is the most likely trade candidate for the Suns because his value is holding true despite their poor start, but that does not mean this is the move to make.
Getting rid of their most intense defender and a player who personified their grit last season for a finesse big like Sabonis would surely end in disaster. Playing alongside Miles Bridges would lead to opponents piling up points inside, while the Suns don't have a clear replacement in the starting lineup for Brooks either. Sabonis would be an excellent addition, but not while the Suns struggle this badly defensively and have many other issues to fix.
Add us as a preferred source on Google