The Phoenix Suns, by all accounts, are aggressively pursuing a trade this offseason to unload Kevin Durant. Last season, the Suns’ lack of depth and defensive production caused them to miss the postseason despite boasting the biggest payroll in the NBA.
Owner Mat Ishbia has made it clear that he has no problem spending money, he just has done so in ill-advised ways since taking over the team. However, the Suns could add a better defender in a blockbuster trade while still chasing immediate success.
The Boston Celtics, who are under new ownership, might be incentivized financially to get under the second apron, which means trading one of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, or Kristaps Porzingis. Of the players who would be feasibly available, Brown makes the most sense for the Suns.
He is a heady defender who has long been the second option behind Tatum, and likely wouldn’t mind receiving fewer touches than Devin Booker. On top of that, he could, in theory, share the floor with Bradley Beal, allowing the Suns to try one more season with their $251 million mistake.
Daniel Alameda of The Wright Way Network proposed a trade that would land Brown in Phoenix, for only Durant and Ryan Dunn.
Granted, this deal doesn’t allow the Suns to rebuild in the way that a trade with the Houston Rockets might, although it could be enough to keep them afloat for the next few seasons. The Celtics, meanwhile, might not even extend Durant (or at least not for the money he thinks he deserves) and would thus meet their financial requirements under new ownership.
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