The team, after entering with some of the highest expectations that the organization has ever experienced, stumbled through the season like an intoxicated friend-of-a-friend at a Memorial Day BBQ (who invited that guy again?) and fell flat on their face in the postseason. Mud is on the face of the organization. You need to fix it.
You’ve axed the coach. Now what? How do you fix this roster? The options aren’t aplenty. You’re determined to keep your Big Three intact and run back in that capacity. From a trade asset standpoint, you have the 22nd pick in the NBA Draft, a 2031 first round draft pick, and three contracts that carry enough value to garner a non-veteran minimum in return. One of those (Grayson Allen) cannot be dealt until October.
One option is trading the highest of those three contracts, that of 10th-year center Jusuf Nurkic. We’ve explored the pros and the cons, so let’s say that is one of the decisions. Let’s say that you are trading Nurkic.
What should the Suns gain in return? What roster needs should be addressed with his transaction? There are clear needs this team possesses that could be addressed using Nurkic as a trade piece:
But does anyone want and/or need a Nurkic on their team? It’s time to fire up that old trade machine and see what we get. We’ll stick to the one-for-one trades today, knowing that three-team trades are a possibility and the team could part ways with Nurkic and Nassir Little via this route.
Athletic Rim Runner: Nick Richards
In this scenario, you have a couple of mechanisms at play.
The first is the contract of Grant Williams. Over-rated and over-paid for following a surprising 2022 postseason run, he didn’t work out with the Dallas Mavericks. He was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for PJ Washington, a move the Mavericks are thoroughly enjoying as they sit with a 3-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals. As are the Celtics.
Why would I suggest he come to the Suns? If you want to get, you must give. The Suns can absorb his contract with the outgoing Nurkic salary, and in doing so, get what they want: Nick Richards.
Nick Richards is a 7’0” 26-year-old center who, like PJ Washington, hasn’t been in a place that allows him to showcase his skillset. In 67 games played last season, he scored 9.7 points and grabbed 8.0 rebounds. Richards doesn’t solve all of your problems, but at the $5 million price tag, he does give you some wiggle room.
Playmaker: Tre Jones
I have been beating the Tre Jones drum for a couple of seasons now as I believe his future is bright if given the right opportunity. Phoenix could be that opportunity.
With Victor Wembanyama beginning his ascent into NBA superstardom, a need still exists on the team for veteran leadership. Someone to be there to talk to him about what it means to be a big man in the NBA. And hey, you pay Wemby at the four if you want if Nurkic is on the team.
As for Tre Jones, the point guard from Duke University may be small in stature — he’s 6’1” — but he would give the Suns a playmaking presence that is much needed. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, he is a quality add. He averaged 10.0 points and 6.2 assists last season in 27.8 minutes played, starting 48 of his 77 games played.
Jones can slither his way to the basket and finish, landing in the 81%tile with an A- grade in finishing talent per BBall-Index, and his playmaking metrics make you drool.
The Spurs have plenty of cap space. They have the fourth-most entering 2024-25, so absorbing a Nurkic-sized contract doesn’t mean much to them. You’d have to sweeten the pot, and that 2031 draft pick could do the trick.
Wing Depth: Deni Avdija
Wing depth. You could never have enough.
Deni Avdija is another example of a player who has been in a bad situation his entire career. Drafted 9th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards, he has been a part of a team that has been underperforming since he arrived. He had his best season last year, scoring 14.7 points on 50.6/37.4/74 splits for a team that won 15 games.
I watched many players take shoot around this season at the Footprint Center, and Avdija was one of the most impressive I witnessed.
Is now the time that Washington is willing to cut bait? He has four years left on his contract, as he was part of the recent wave of Wizards who were paid as they were handing everyone a deal to anyone who would sign. See: Bradley Beal’s contract.
If the Wizards do not believe that he is part of their rebuild, this is an opportunity for them to get off of his contract. They can bring in Nurkic (whose deal is two years less), get off the Avdija deal, and garner a 2031 draft pick in the same breath.
One obstacle in the way is the Suns would not be alone in seeking Avdija’s assistance. Teams with much more to offer would have their chance at the table, which is why draft picks are valuable.
What did I learn as I navigated this exercise? Something I already knew. There isn’t much out there to trade for, and if there is, the scenario is not mutually beneficial for the teams involved. You probably looked at the trades above and said, “Why would they want to do that? Why would they want Jusuf Nurkic?” I think that says a lot about the state of the Suns and the lack of outs they possess.
There is no “one trade fixes all” situation for the Suns. A Nurkic move wouldn’t complete the team, rather, it would start in motion other ideologies and methods for fixing the roster. This is a starting point rather than the end.
Discussion about this post