An intriguing trade proposal has the Phoenix Suns sending 2018 first overall pick Deandre Ayton to one of their main challengers in the Western Conference.
Ayton has been widely mentioned in trade rumors throughout the offseason. He appears to be expendable now that the Suns have a brand new big three in Devin Booker, Kevin Durant (acquired ahead of last season’s trade deadline) and offseason trade acquisition Bradley Bea
The 25-year-old Ayton simply hasn’t grown into the superstar that the Suns envisioned when they took him with the No. 1 pick five years ago. Ayton could certainly use a fresh start, and you can’t help but wonder if one of the Suns’ Pacific Division rivals would be the ideal landing spot for him.
Over at NBA Analysis Network, James Piercey proposed a blockbuster trade that has the Suns trading Ayton to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell:
“Some may argue against this deal for the Suns. You could make the case that they’ve got enough guard play. Between Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, they’ll usually have a strong offensive guard on the floor. Why are they acquiring Russell?
Well, none of those players are point guards. Russell is one. His ability to set up teammates for open looks should be invaluable to this squad. How will the Suns use him? We’re not sure. They might start him, play Beal at the 3, and go small. Alternatively, Russell may carry the second unit. Either way, he should be a welcomed addition to this group…
Hachimura will be a more significant part of their rotation than several of the players who are currently on the roster. That’s the price that the Suns pay for having three superstars.”
If the Suns are keen on shopping Ayton, they’d surely prefer to deal him outside of the division. But if a team like the Lakers made the best offer, Phoenix would have some thinking to do.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
The Suns are a prime contender with Durant, Booker and Beal leading the charge now. So swapping out Ayton for two quality rotational pieces like Hachimura and Russell would be a wise move in order to improve the scoring depth behind their three stars.
