The Phoenix Suns have succeeded in landing a fortified piece to their roster by obtaining veteran star guard Chris Paul on Monday. After being able to pull of the often-rumored trade for the ten-time All-Star, the Suns become a slightly more favorable squad heading into next season.
Still, having Paul doesn't answer all of the Suns' problems. They still will need to fortify their starting lineup while also bringing aboard some sort of talent to take up the reserves unit. If they're able to achieve those feats as well, then there's much more conversation to be had in terms of how far the Suns can go next season, with the eventual hope of at least making a deep run in the playoffs.
One major area the Suns will need to address upfront is finding some talent on the wings. Their hands were forced in giving up Kelly Oubre in the Paul deal on Monday, which leaves a large void to fill on forwards. They also traded away their young talent in Jalen Lecque and Ty Jerome, which leaves them a bit empty on roster spots that need to be filled. They don't have a large amount of cap space after reports emerged that the they'll look to complete the Paul trade now rather than later, leaving them only about $9.3 million in cap space to work with.
Here are a few likely targets for the Suns as the offseason continues.
5. Wesley Matthews
Matthews didn't play up to his potential during the 2019-20 season, but he's still a strong pickup for the Suns. The San Antonio, Texas native is still regarded as a daring 3-and-D prototype that can fit onto a team-friendly budget such as what the Suns possess at the moment. While some of his prior numbers don't represent his shooting efforts, he's still a threat from downtown.
He finished last season connecting on 36 percent of his threes while shooting nearly 40 percent (39.6) from the field overall. Matthews' defense may make him an alluring target for the Suns as well. They'll likely be pursing some strong defenders on the wing after giving up Oubre on Monday for Paul.
4. Aron Baynes
The Suns would be foolish to not explore the possibility of bringing back Baynes. He had the best season of his career in Phoenix last season, averaging 11.5 points along with 5.6 rebounds. The 6-foot-10 center gives some much needed rim protection for the Suns, even with Ayton continuing his development.
Baynes won't command a serious deal from the Suns, seeing as how he isn't viewed as a premier big man in the league. Still he provides some interior defense while also being a decent knock-down shooter from beyond the arc. He finished last season connecting on 35 percent of his 3-pointers last season, his highest mark of any season in his career.
3. Pat Connaughton
Connaughton proved his worthiness last season, which should easily make him a lockup with the Bucks once more. However, with reports surfacing of the Bucks looking to spend well off into the luxury tax to bring in a high-level player, Milwaukee simply may not be able to afford to bring back the sixth-year guard.
While he won't fill out the starting lineup, he comes off as an exceptional piece off the bench to help shore up their defensive efforts. The 6-foot-5 guard is capable of knocking down open threes while playing some exceptional defense, which should bode well for the Suns on a bargained price.
2. Carmelo Anthony
With all the free agent buzz going on, Anthony is often forgotten due to his decline in stardom. Still, the 36-year old forward is going to be an attractive target should he decide not to run it back with the Portland Trail Blazers next season.
The future Hall of Famer averaged 15.4 points last season while connecting on 43 percent of his shots from the field. He likely won't command a heavy contract despite his exceptional play, and could provide an extra sense of depth to a relatively young squad aside from Paul.
Paul and Anthony are close friends, who've often entertained the idea of one day playing together, this may be the last chance for both players to achieve that dream.
1. Reggie Jackson
After seeing most of his playing time dwindle with the Los Angeles Clippers last season, Jackson will likely be on the move to another club. He's coming off a veteran-minimum contract, which can play against him once he begins negotiating with any team. That works well into favor of Phoenix.
Even though Jackson didn't produce much of a story while in LA, he still is a formidable guard that could very well start on a select few teams given the opportunity. After seeing nearly no playing time with the Clippers, Jackson surely wouldn't mind taking the backseat to a Paul-Booker duo in the backcourt.
Prior to being picked up by the Clippers, Jackson was averaging 14.9 points and 5.1 assists with the Detroit Pistons, which displayed his promise at the guard position.
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