Suns Rumors: Only Jusuf Nurkic Trade Could Give Mat Ishbia’s Team Clear Pathway to Redemption

The culture and wind in Phoenix changed when Mat Ishbia took over control of ownership. He immediately signed Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, two offensive juggernauts to support the franchise ace, Devin Booker. On paper, the 3-headed monster seemed unguardable. Each of them could score away from the ball and in isolation. However, after a moderate regular season campaign, the Suns bounced out in the first round, unexpectedly.

Since then, fans and the front office have been working strenuously to track down ideal components to add to the squad. There is just one problem. The Suns don’t have anything to offer. They put all their tradeable chips to form their fiery trio. As a fan interacted on Reddit, they brought notice to the Suns’ depleted trade offerings. It only consisted of the 22nd pick, Jusuf Nurkic, who is currently on a four-year $70 million deal, and Naseer Little.

In a report earlier, Evan Sidery was told the franchise has three targets during the offseason – to have a better backup center than Drew Eubanks, a point guard to play at least 20 minutes, and a youthful wing. Trading Nurkic might help supplement some concerns, but it opens up a wider gateway of troubles. Without Nurkic, they will majorly lack an inside scorer. He produced 10 ppg., almost everything coming from under the basket. Additionally, he is an expert at rebounding, averaging over 11 boards in the regular season. No other Suns players eclipsed 7.

The Phoenix Suns are compromised financially, which exponentially cuts their options in the offseason. Several players satisfy their needs. The likes of D’Anthony Melton, OG Anunoby, Tyus Jones, and Isaiah Harteinstein are all available to approach and sign. However, the Suns simply don’t have the financial leverage.

Who can the Suns sign with their curtailed purse?

The Suns weren’t bad by any measure. They had a winning record and managed to make it to the playoffs. But they were supposed to achieve so much more. Even though Beal, Durant, and Booker only played 41 games together, they didn’t find drastic success. In the series against Minnesota, a lack of rotational components and a floor general were palpable. The Suns need to address these woes before pursuing any other objective. Apart from their scoring trinity, they need players who can generate some offense.

Moreover, Booker can’t be used as the point guard. He is a Goliath scorer and needs someone to supply him with on-target passes like Chris Paul did when they made the NBA Finals. Because of their financial constraints, the Suns don’t have a deep purse to spend in the offseason. Yet there are still some options. Indiana Pacers’ TJ McConnell is one player who could vastly help the Suns. The veteran point guard is quick around the floor and sticks close to his mark when defending.

While he doesn’t have a consistent jumper, the Suns don’t need that skill. His impeccable passing could bring out the undisclosed potential of the Suns’ ‘Big 3’. The Pacers guard averages 5.5 assists while turning the ball over fewer than 2 times in a game.

A direction they could go in is to welcome back Chris Paul. CP3 is one of the greatest floor generals in NBA history and his limited usage on offense syncs perfectly with the needs of volume shooters, such as KD, Beal, and D-Book. He also works splendidly in a Pick-and-roll offense that could utilize the fundamentals of Nurkic, who has experience playing in such a setting with Damian Lillard.

While the resources are diminished, the Suns still have the potential to rescue their roster. Ishbia and the front office need to systematically choose their targets and ensure they accent they are impact makers outside of the ‘Big 3’, which the Suns need.

If you want to know what Shaq’s former agent Leonard Armato said about WNBA rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, watch the video below.

Before you go, do not forget to check out how Caitlin Clark’s humility despite the negativity surrounding her is impressing Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato. Keep checking this space for more such updates.