The Phoenix Suns have quietly gone about their business so far in 2021. While the headlines in the west largely go the way of the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, the Utah Jazz have swept in to steal some content as they have lead the west most of the way.
Meanwhile, the Suns are sniping away with a record of 29-13 that has them just two games back of the Jazz for the top spot in the Western Conference. With a solid foundation and a good blend of talent, the Suns really don't “need” much at the trade deadline. But they would be wise to explore the market for available defensive bigs to help bolster their depth.
Deandre Ayton has been solid for the Suns and they have had success playing Dario Saric at the five spot, too. What they lack is a piece that they could bring in for 10-12 minutes a night for some rim protection while providing relief for Ayton and Saric. Nothing major, no ground breaking trade that will wow the entire league, for the Suns they just need to keep it simple.
Suns At The NBA Trade Deadline
One name that could be intriguing is JaVale McGee. He's on a very team friendly deal worth $4.2 million this year and is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the season. McGee was an underrated part of the Lakers defensive success when he was in L.A. He was also a contributing factor for the Golden State Warriors for a while in the midst of their dynasty.
He has the experience and still defends the paint very well with his length and athleticism. Adding him to the Suns would provide much needed depth and stability and he wouldn't be asked to do a lot. Again, 10-15 minutes a night maybe more, maybe less depending on matchups on how a certain game or series in the playoffs unravels.
Outside of another rip protector at a low cost, the Suns could have a tough time at the deadline given their salary cap situation knowing that they would have to match salaries in a trade if they want to swing big. And doing that with so many pieces they wouldn't want to trade makes it tougher.
Look at the roster. Chris Paul isn's going anywhere. Neither is Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, Dario Saric, Mikal Bridges or Cameron Johnson. They have maybe a couple pieces that they view as expendable that other teams would be interested in like Frank Kaminsky or Jevon Carter. But nothing major, making it more likely that any trade the Suns make would require draft assets heading the other way.
Let's call it JaVale McGee for two future second round picks. Who says no to that?
For the Suns, it's about keeping things simple at the deadline. They're hitting their stride, the team chemistry seems to be at a high and they really don't have any big holes on the roster. Adding a piece like JaVale McGee would help round things out and provide a nice boost to the defensive side of things for Phoenix.
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