We have entered trade season in the NBA, although it is unclear just how active the Phoenix Suns are going to be between now and early April. After their up-and-down season to this point they would certainly like to be, although being in the second apron does not help their cause.
Neither does having guys like Bol Bol on minimum contracts, who could have quirks in their contracts - as Bol does - which make moving him even harder. Not that there's likely to be a massive demand for his services anyway, but the organization doesn't need any more road blocks in trying to improve their roster.
The Indiana Pacers aren't helping the cause in The Valley either.
Despite being in a different conference and having no real impact on the day-to-day running of the franchise in The Valley, the Pacers could have a very real impact on the coming weeks in Phoenix. The reason? The Pacers have seen a number of their centers go down with injury, and are now reportedly in the market to find a backup between now and the trade deadline.
News: Some of the centers the Pacers are monitoring, per @JakeLFischer
- Duop Reath
- Kelly Olynyk
- Jonas Valanciunas
- Clint Capela
- Robert Williams pic.twitter.com/407bCqLVhS
— The Indy Pacer (@TheIndyPacer) December 10, 2024
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line believes that there could be several names on the Pacers' wishlist right now, and one in particular should worry the Suns. Duop Reath is exactly the kind of player - who crucially the Suns have a realistic shot of landing while being in the second apron - that the Pacers could jump them in the queue to secure.
Ironically the one thing working in their favor here is the relationship the Suns could have with Reath's current employers - the Portland Trail Blazers - having taken Jusuf Nurkic off their hands. They now need to get some additional cover in the door - whether Nurkic heads the other way or not - because he has become unplayable for the franchise.
Reath isn't the only potentially available big out there that both the Suns and Pacers could be interested in, although he is among the best fits for both organizations. Kelly Olynyk of the Toronto Raptors makes considerably more money than Reath, but is at a level that the Suns could get to if they could somehow convince them to take Nurkic, or potentially Grayson Allen.
No matter how you look at it though, this is not a good spot for the Suns to be in. The Pacers aren't in the second apron and so can be more flexible with what packages they can put together, and they went to the Eastern Conference finals last season. A fluke perhaps, but it is a good deal better than the Suns managed.
Phoenix on the other hand has a depth chart of Mason Plumlee and Oso Ighodaro behind Nurkic, and it does not take an expert to realize that there is a need for one more, veteran body. Perhaps one who can also shoot a 3-pointer as head coach Mike Budenholzer likes, but that may be a step too far right now. The Suns need to focus on beating out the competition for the slim pickings available first.