The Suns‘ front office has told rival NBA teams that the club is open to trading the No. 6 overall pick in a deal if the right veteran guard is available, reports ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Insider-only link) within his latest mock draft.
Phoenix has been on the lookout for a starting point guard for much of the last year, so presumably – in any trade talks – the team would be focusing on a veteran who can play the one and handle the ball, rather than an off-ball shooting guard.
Still, Givony’s wording suggests the Suns won’t just be shopping this pick for the best offer — they’ll only seriously consider moving it for the “right” player. Presumably, the club will be targeting an impact player on a team-friendly contract, and there aren’t a ton of point guards around the NBA who fit that bill and will be available.
Mike Conley and Lonzo Ball are among the point guards who could be on the trade block this offseason and might be fits for Phoenix. However, there are red flags in each case.
Conley’s contract – which features a $32.5MM salary for 2019/20 – isn’t particularly favorable, and would require multiple outgoing salary-matching pieces. As for Ball, he has been slowed by injuries in each of his two NBA seasons and has yet to prove he can be a consistent threat on offense. Trading the No. 6 pick for either player seems unlikely, though the opportunity to attach unwanted salary in a deal could appeal to the Suns.
For now, Givony has the Suns using that No. 6 pick on Texas Tech swingman Jarrett Culver in his latest mock. We’ll have to wait to see if Phoenix makes any progress in trade discussions during the weeks leading up to the draft.
Lmao lonzos worth more than the 6th overall honestly. Not even a fan of ball but this draft after first 3 is very weak. Even the 4th aint that good….
Lonzo has fewer years of cheap team control left than a draft pick though. And the unknown pick isn’t yet sullied with the same shooting and injury concerns that Lonzo is. Seems like a pretty fair trade.
I feel like this guy is a Boston fan trolling LA. Unless it’s a mental issue, there’s no other reason for the delusional and bias comments he makes on every article relating to LA.
Or maybe he just isn’t buying the undeserved hype Tatum, Brown and Rozier. Not everyone mindlessly loves the Celtics young players.
What does that have to do with this article tho?
Well idk about the Celtics bit Lonzo has been rumored with the Suns for a while
Im just not a Bostonian homer like yourself who overvalues average players. Only in this world can your players regress and still have more value than the previous year lol
@imindless Says the man who thinks Lonzo is worth more than the #6 overall pick. Lonzo’s going into his 3rd season and his slash line is 38/31/43. That’s awful.
Lmao the sixth in a weak draft? Ill keep lonzo… was speaking on tatum and brown for the celtics whom both regressed but are constantly brought up as key pieces in anthony davis trade its hilarious.
But its funny you could say that because as a defender, rebounder and passer he is near the top or the top for his position. When he went down we lost our chance to go to the playoffs and the numbers support this claim. Grouping his shooting numbers from 1st to 2nd season is just plain wrong he improved drastically and more can be expected this year aswell.
What has he proved that would make him worth more?
Rookie season 10/7/7, in my opinion he was tied to 2nd best rookie with Donovan Mitchell, not bad, right?
Ok…he can fill out a stat sheet. But how about that 36/30/45 tho? That’s horrific. They need to really find away to break down important rebound and assits vs useless ones. I can stand 2 ft to the right of the basket and a rebound can literally fall in my lap. I can pass the ball to a guy on the wing and he can make athletics play to the rim and I get an assist. To me, it’s the percentages that tell the story and he is a horrific shooter from EVERYWHERE on the floor.
You clearly dont watch basketball just what you see on espn. There is a reason people around the league all discuss lonzo and want him in trade packages. Because he has things you cant teach….apparently your blind to things other than baskets if you actually watch games his defensive awareness steals rebounding passing all lead to easy buckets for his teams. Sure it would help if he could shoot a little more but he also isnt shooting a high volume per game and doesnt have shooters around him to improve his assists further. He impacts the game without shooting and further improving his shot only increases how valuable he can be.
Dude, no one is begging for Lonzo. Please stop it. Yes, he still has potential but he went from EXTREMELY HORRIBLE to REALLY BAD. When you see 40/32/41 as a good improvement then that just attests to how BAD he was his rookie year and the fact that you see Tatum and Brown as overrated yet exalt the virtues of Ball shows your bias.
Sounds to me like somes salty they lost out on zion TWICE! despite having one of the worst seasons in nba history. I wouldn’t be optimistic as a knicks cavs fan either lol!
My guy. What does Zion have to do with conversation? You seem unable to separate what team you or I root and just talk unbiased basketball. And while both teams had poor seasons at least they aren’t as dysfunctional in the front office as the Lakers. I’m going to leave you alone as this conversation has nothing to do with the Suns and their #6 pick. Grow up.
I wouldn’t give the 10th for Lonzo, nonetheless the 6th.
Good for you! Lemme know how being a gm from your home works!
How about #6 for Goran Dragic? You want him
Back?
they wont trade number 6th for a guard who is 33. and technically they cant trade for him until after the trade as he has a player option. who knows, he could opt out (which isnt likly) and the suns sign him via free agency and then they can still keep their pick
lonzo is injury prone and cant hit the 3 consistently.
if i were the lakers, i do that deal in a heartbeat. then try and package those two picks (Suns 6th and Lakers 4th) along with other players for AD or Beal. or just sign two young suns.
if i were the suns, i just draft SF like Culiver or Hunter and replace josh jackson… i think C.white from UNC will be good PG as well. maybe sign ricky rubio and have white learn under him for half or a full season.
JoshJ is a backup; Mikal Bridges, Kelly OubreFA & maybe TJ Warren solidifies the 3. They need a 1 & 4.
White & Culver still works IMO, as they could play the 1 because Booker can do the job also & help out until the adjustment is made. Plus there’s Garland. They should find a PG with the #6, but it’s risky.
Culver at PG? I think not.
lonzo is injury prone and cant hit water if he was shooting into the Pacific. Haha..@imindless
There’s not a place on the floor he can shoot better than 40% so far.
two young studs* not suns lol.
I’ve thought for awhile that the Suns should bring in a veteran PG to stabilize this young group, and maybe translate some of their talent into wins. But #6 isn’t enough for an impact PG in or approaching his prime, on a team friendly contract no less (if this guy exists, very few assets would fetch him), and it’s too much for a guy who’s still largely a prospect or past his prime. If Culver drops to that spot, I think they’ll have lots of options.
I gotta think Phoenix has a chance at Rubio or Collison with the mid-level. That way they can use the pick for something else.
Everyone is saying lonzo isn’t a good fit because he dosent shoot but the suns aren’t the lakers they have a couple guys who can shoot they need someone at the point who can distribute and defend the two things lonzo is great at. People need to understand and accept what lonzo is he is a distributor not a scorer he should lead the league in assists not points or shooting percentage.
Ok but he still isn’t worth a the 6th pick. They are better off trying to get Rubio since it looks as if he’s not being brought back to Utah.
Ya seems a lot easier to draft a PG and sign Rubio
The perceived lack of fit with the Suns may come from the fact that the Suns themselves indicated that they’re looking for a veteran PG. I doubt they had Ball, with less than 100 NBA games played, in mind.
A veteran that knows how to win in the NBA is what this young core needs. Getting a lot of young players is great, but you need something to bring them together, otherwise you are just constantly spinning your wheels.
Mike Conley would be ideal, but another possibility would be Jrue Holiday. Holiday has already been traded for the #6 pick (Nerlens Noel) once in his career.
That makes the most sense to me.
With a team made up mostly of 23 and 24 year olds, I doubt that the Suns would trade the #6 pick for a 31 year old PG with $67 million left on his contract. They’d be unable to sign any FAs for the next 2 season. Then again, they’re the Suns, so……
The excess of youth on the Suns is why they would want Conley. He is a regarded as a good influence & leader.
Tyler Johnson & Josh Jackson (plus#6) works for Conley.
So does TJ & TJ Warren (+#6) for Conley and Ivan Rabb, then sign a PF in free agency.
Seems like a good return for Conley also.
Anyway he should depart Memphis, he’s done all he can there.
i really think the hornets should consider letting kemba walk. he is due a supermax now by making another all team and then he would be a good fit on phoenix for a regular max deal. im not a fan of either team but a supermax to kemba would just get the hornets in financial trouble down the road i think
Teague and the 11th pick for the 6th pick and their 2nd rd pick.
Teague is not worth the 6 pick. You could probably get him for TJ Warren and a 2nd round pick.
Teague and the 11th pick , basically the trade is 5 spots and 2nd rounder for teague. That’s a win win for both clubs. Suns get their veteran point and still draft at 11. Wolves move up 5 spots, pick up a 2nd round pick and get out of a contract.
I get your thought, but the salaries need to work too. That’s why I suggested the Tyler Johnson/Teague deal below.
Although the Suns could possibly look into trading Tyler Johnson for Teague as well. A flip of 6 and 11 could work with that trade.
I like Coby White (possible #6) to replace Derrick Rose in MIN more than White in some other situations but they would have to re-sign Tyus Jones & Bayless so they have true PGs. Should be a good trade for both.
#6 and TJ Warren for Jrue Holiday
Says guard. Not Point Guard?
#6, Jackson and Bridges for Beal.
I doubt that is enough for Beal. Jackson has about the same value right now as Kris Dunn. Yes he was a top 5 pick, but he wouldn’t be now. I just don’t see Bridges having enough upside to be a headliner for a guy like Beal.
Post says they’ve been looking for a PG. They have Booker at SG so Beal wouldn’t be a fit. They want to relieve Booker of those duties as primary PG as he’s the leading assist guy.
Beal would fit, both Booker and Beal averaged 5+ assists last season. They need a second playmaker. Doesn’t need to be a PG
Just because you have 5 or 6 assists it doesn’t mean you know how to run an offense. It could mean that you know how to pass when you don’t have a shot or in reaction to the offense. That’s more reactive than proactive. Cousins averaged about 5 assists a game. Does that mean he can run an offense the same way a pure PG can? I’ve specifically read where they are seeking a PG. Beal and Booker, two guys that are used to taking 20 shots pg and asking one to take less and do what’s not natural for them seems like a recipe for disaster. Someone’s game will be muted. Both guys work best off the ball. Just get a freakin FA point guard like Rubio, etc and not make things more complicated.
Suns receive: Wiggins, Teague, gorgui
Wolves receive: 6th pick , josh Jackson , Tyler johnson, Holmes
Delly is available :)
They’re talking about cp3, not balls
So:
Cp3 + nene for j.jackson + t.johnson + t.j.warren + #6
If you are houston, is a good trade? Yes
If you are suns? I think yes
That’s not really a bad idea. Although the Rockets might need to add a future pick to balance things out a bit.
Well thought through. Though, I would eliminate Nene and Jackson.
As Phx, I don’t make the deal unless CP3’s OK with it – his last stop being leading a young team with 2 potential AS’s.
As Hou, it’s mostly about the pick (keep or flip). Warren isn’t a great fit, but good value, and he did shoot well from 3 last year (another keep or flip).
Rocket’s are looking to ADD stars not a bunch of maybe sos. That doesn’t make them a better team. The idea of moving CP3 is about creating cap space and use it for another star. I don’t think that makes sense at all, and in fact, is a considerable step back. CP3 wouldn’t be moved as a pure salary dump. They would take back a bunch of contracts that still consume the same amount of cap space.
To move cp3, is necessary the same amount of salary… And nobody gives you a star for the cp3 absurd contract.
In this case, the biggest one is johnson, 19M expiring…
Tjw and others are role players Who Can be normal, not great, normal, trade chips.
Nobody wants cp3, except maybe a not-great FA destination full of young players that can need a real superveteran guide.
So… Phoenix, sacramento, orlando, memphis, atlanta… But sacto has Fox, atlanta trae, and Memphis conley (or morant).
I think the only possibilities are Phoenix or Orlando, lacks of FA, lacks of PG, full of youngs
If houston remains with cp3, they definitly waste Harden’s prime.
Warren would be good in Houston but Fertita is going to be an obstacle to sensible actions.
The Pels will probably end up trading AD to the Lakers for Ball, Kuzma, Hart, and #4. Then, flip Ball to the Suns for #6 and Bridges. They’d have a nice young core to go with Jrue. Wouldn’t surprise me if that team could sneak in the playoffs.
Jrue Holiday + a college all star team is going to be the worst team in the league, not in contention for a playoff spot. At least for the first year or two.
If the Lakers could pull that off, they just might.
But Suns wouldn’t trade #6 for Ball straight up, let alone include Bridges in the deal.
Lonzo and his father for the number 6 is a deal for the Lakers and a three year curse for the Suns!
All the suns need to do is sign Terry Rozier.He’s restricted fa.. If Boston is all in on A.D. then Kyrie is their focal point and Rozier wants no part of that..He also has some playoff experience and has grit the soft suns are missing. They can package the 6th pick to get rid of Tyler J. Failed drug test of contract. Also they could nab Juluis Randleto help in the interior.