With a record of 43-35 and seventh place in the Western Conference, the Phoenix Suns are in a good position in the playoff chase. That puts them on top of the Play-In Tournament, but not quite good enough to be a real challenger. All of the teams ahead of the Suns have two co-stars who work well together and around whom the squad can unite; Phoenix, Devin Booker, and Jalen Green lack it.
With this in mind, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley recommends that the Suns make a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, parting with Jalen Green to get superstar guard Ja Morant. Morant is a superior playmaker than Green, providing Phoenix with a legitimate point guard to accompany Booker.
The transaction would look like this:
Suns get: PG Ja Morant
The Grizzlies get: SG Jalen Green, C Khaman Maluach, 2027. First-round pick (through CLE, MIN, or Utah).
“That’s the thing about this Suns season. The battle has been entertaining to watch, and the ambiance appear excellent, but the ultimate goal is either unclear or tragically sad. Slow-and-steady culture creation is incompatible with Booker’s window to win, yet Phoenix’s dismantled asset portfolio restricts the possibilities for acceleration. As a result, the Suns appear to be a viable destination for Morant. Otherwise, they would not have access to a player of his quality. According to Buckley, they desperately need an injection of skill if they expect to win big while Booker is still in his prime.
Before being forced to sit out the rest of the season, Morant was averaging 19. 5 points, 3. 3 rebounds, 8. 1 assists, and one steal in 28. 5 minutes per game. He’d gain more minutes with Phoenix, and his stats are sure to improve as well.
If the Suns lose in the Play-In or are knocked out quickly in the first round, this is a trade they should think about. Booker’s time is running out, thus acquiring Morant is essential if they want to win right now.
