The red-hot Phoenix Suns continue to steam roll through their opponents after they notched their 15th straight win on Friday against the New York Knicks. Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and company continue to prove that their NBA Finals run last season was not a fluke, like many naysayers said during the offseason.
There's this saying that goes, “If it ain't broke, don't fix it.” With the Suns' impeccable streak right now, there is no reason for the Valley Boyz to shake things up. Nonetheless, if the changes mean improving Phoenix's chances of making it back to the NBA Finals and going over the hump to win a championship, then they should considering doing so. With that said, here is one trade the Phoenix Suns need to make right now amidst their blistering stretch.
1 trade the Suns need to make
The trade target the Suns could go after right now is Portland Trail Blazers forward Robert Covington. At 10-10 to start the reason, Portland isn't anywhere near being the championship-caliber team they envision to be with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum leading the way. With that, the Blazers may consider a fire sale of their veterans to kickstart their rebuild. Phoenix could benefit from this Blazers reset by trading for a solid 3-and-D wing like Covington.
To acquire the 6-foot-7 forward, Phoenix could send a package consisting of Dario Saric, their 2020 10th overall pick Jalen Smith, and a future first round pick. Portland would likely pile up on future draft capital and with the Suns in win-now mode, they would be more than willing to send a future asset or two that could entice the Blazers.
The Suns already have a solid 3-4 tandem in Jae Crowder and Mikael Bridges, but it wouldn't hurt to have more options at the wings. Covington would give the Suns another lengthy defender, as well as someone with enough size to defend some of the bigger power forwards in the NBA. The Tennessee State standout would also give the Suns a small-ball center they can utilize in certain match-ups.
Despite being just one inch taller than Crowder, Covington is more equipped to defend the likes of Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Anthony Davis. The 30-year old possesses a long 7-foot-2 wingspan that makes him a versatile defender with the ability to guard multiple positions on the floor.
The Suns already have the 3rd best defense in the league, per NBA.com. The addition of a reputable defensive stud like the 2017-18 All-Defensive team member would only strengthen them in that department.
Covington also isn't a guy who needs the ball in his hands a ton to be effective on the offensive end. Like Crowder, RoCo thrives most as a catch-and-shoot option on the perimeter. His production may be a bit down this season, averaging just 6.8 points per game, but he is still an efficient shooter from beyond the arc. Being the deep-ball threat that he is will give Chris Paul and Devin Booker more space to operate and do their thing. If the two star guards ever do get double-teamed, Covington is more than capable of making defenses pay with his 3-point shooting, as he is knocking down 38 percent of his triples this season.
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