The Phoenix Suns just got swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round -- a disappointing, yet not entirely unexpected result. However, one thing has quickly become clear: If the Suns want any hope of winning a championship with Devin Booker, they need to add another star, and Jalen Green is the key to getting them there.
Green has provided a few solid moments during the postseason, but his salary and age make him the perfect trade candidate if the Suns wanted to go big-name hunting this summer. And that’s exactly what they’ll need to do if they want to help Booker push for a championship.
No matter how tough it may seem to trade Green after just one year in Phoenix.
Suns should consider trading Jalen Green for a Devin Booker co-star
Green had an okay season with the Suns when he was healthy, though that was a battle in and of itself. Regardless, at just 24 years old, Green is still young and growing as a player.
Unfortunately, he endured a pretty rough end to his playoff run with the Suns this season. In Game 4 against the Thunder, he was inefficient and failed to provide the scoring punch Phoenix would have needed to push OKC.
The harsh reality of the Suns’ situation is that they don’t have enough star power alongside Booker. They have everything else, though. Just not the stars. Not yet.
Jordan Ott is a great head coach. Phoenix found some elite role players this year, led by the ultimate role player in Dillon Books. Guys like Collin Gillespie, Jordan Gooswin, and Oso Ighodaro all look like guys who could impact winning on a much grander scale.
But in order for them to do that alongside Booker, the Suns need to go out and get a guy who can take the pressure off Booker on a night-to-night basis.
Green’s $36.3 million next season would help them match salaries in a trade, and at just 24 years old, there could still be some teams out there who may want to take a chance on him (despite the financials of it all).
Obviously, any trade for a superstar is inherently unlikely in the NBA, but some names for the Suns to keep an eye on could include Giannis Antetokounmpo (obviously), Bam Adebayo or Tyler Herro, or even Kawhi Leonard.
The Suns just need one more All-Star caliber player around Booker to at least give themselves a fighting chance at making a real run. And it all starts with Green and his contract. That’s their best trade bait.
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