Suns "VERY AGGRESSIVE" in trade talks... - HUGE move coming?

The Phoenix Suns are getting aggressive this offseason, and rumors are, do not stick to those first round picks because they are going to be attached. The Suns are looking to make some moves, and we're going to be breaking down three possible players that could come to the Phoenix Suns this offseason. On all of this and more on this episode of Suns Digest, I'm Bruce Fletch with my co-host CJ Pierre. before we dive in on all this phoenix suns news 98% of you guys who watch our videos are not subscribed so we'd greatly appreciate it if you guys hit that subscribe button down below as we race to get to 1,000 subscribers here on suns digest without further ado let's dive into the topic at hand, and CJ don't forget to grab a snack and like we mentioned in the introduction do not get attached to those first round picks because Matt Ishbia, James Jones, the phoenix suns do not want that 2031 first-round pick, it's a seventh-grader. They don't care. They want to win now. They feel confident with this squad. And a report from Evan Sidery, basically from Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee show, claims that this source is true. The Suns are expected to be very, very aggressive on the trade market leading up to the draft night. Phoenix has two first-round picks that become trade-eligible on June 6th, the 22nd overall pick in this year's draft, and their 2031 first. They're saying keep an eye on Naz Reid, who makes around $6.77 million next season as the salary potential attached to those picks. And due to the second apron penalties, Phoenix can't take back more salary than they send out in a trade. So CJ, knowing all those parameters, knowing all the restrictions with this second apron here, do you think that this is a smart move by the Phoenix Suns to do this type of deal? I think so. I think when you look at the limitations that the Suns are kind of facing with being a second apron team, They just don't have the kind of flexibility that you need to really improve the roster as it currently stands without making substantial, substantial changes. So if you're trying to keep the big three together, Booker, Durant, Beal, you've got to find other places. You've got to find other ways to try to make changes. Matt Ishbia is going Los Angeles Rams, you know, F them picks, you know, right now. And, hey, if that's what works, I mean, they don't really have much other choice. You know, they have the one first-round pick, and if they really feel that they may need to move off of it, including the 2031 pick, to try and find a way to build this team so it can win right now, that's going to be an option that they're going to have to look at. Exactly. You mentioned possibly moving off a guy in Nazir Little. Came in over with that trade with Portland for DeAndre Ayton. A kind of young, untapped potential player has the potential to be a decent wing in the NBA. I have no really problem trading that number 22 pick this year. But CJ, the only problem that I get kind of scared of is when we look at this salary cap. When we look at the roster for the future. You guys look at that. Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, both locked up to 2025-2026. But Devin Booker is only locked up to 27-28. And he is 27 years old, gentlemen. at 31 years old entering 2027 2028 season do you think he's going to want to re-sign an extension stay long term with a team that doesn't have a first round pick for three years in the future i don't know that's kind of crazy to me i know that you want to you know kind of get it all out of the tank try to go aggressive here but that pick i think is going to be very valuable in the future and it's going to be a pick that could be you know tossed around from different franchises especially if the Suns have no really future well yeah it's kind of hard to say you know what is the team going to look at seven years from now uh you know you know where's Kevin Durant going to be is he going to still be playing uh is that you know he's you know already you know that'll put him at what year 23 24 uh so you know you really have to it really all depends on what the team ends up looking like but we do know this we know Devin Booker he takes a lot from his hero Kobe Bryant and really believes in the idea of staying with one team being that one of those players that was a franchise guy and had one jersey his entire career, and that's something that means a lot to him. So Devin Booker may be the kind of guy that is like, hey, I'm willing to take less money as I get towards the later stages of my career so that we are able to maintain some roster flexibility once some of these other guys kind of move on and move forward. So I still believe that Devin Booker will obviously want to make sure he cashes in and want to make sure he can make whatever money he can, But I think he'll only do it if the Phoenix Suns are on the track to remaining a contending team in the NBA. No, I know what you mean. And that's kind of the tough situation with looking at this team in the future, especially with having some dwindling draft capital, CJ. But the next part we're going to get into this video is kind of talking about possible trades that the Suns could do, looking at players that we could possibly like to see the Phoenix Suns go after. Now, like we mentioned, Ziaire Williams is the name being thrown around here in this. So, we're going to look at this. $6.7 million. Now, Suns fans, we know, we heard you screaming in the comments, you can't aggregate the salaries with the second apron. We know that. You can't go over the second apron acquiring some of these players. So, for the three guys that we have prepared today to break down, they're all under that $6.7 million gap. And the first player we're going to be looking at is a player that would be welcoming back a reunion with the Phoenix Suns, CJ and Javonte Carter. makes that 6.5 million dollars a point guard someone that we've been screaming is a need for this Phoenix Suns squad to play the offense be a good playmaker be a solid defender in a tough guard room with obviously guys like Lonzo Ball possibly coming back Coby White's emergence Ayo Dosunmu's emergence do you think a reunion with Javon Carter would be a smart move and a move that the Bulls would possibly do to take a flyer on Nazir Little uh i think this would be the perfect trade for the Phoenix Suns if they were able to do this without losing uh draft capital Nasir Little is still a piece he's a young wing player that the Chicago Bulls could use uh particularly you know with uh DeMar DeRozan getting up there in age the injury history of Zach Levine uh they do have some other young wings but you know adding Nasir Little i don't think would be a detriment and you know when you have a guy like Javon Carter i think that's someone that the Bulls can part with and for the Phoenix Suns side i think it would be perfect uh Javon Carter as you mentioned you know he's a former Sun so the community know the fans know him they know what kind of hard worker he is what kind of point guard he is he's a great passer very great in assist turnover ratio he's a really solid defender you know a little undersized but in terms of what he needs to do on the court he more than makes up for it with his hustle and his effort there's also the familiarity he has with Mike Budenholzer he did spend some time with the Milwaukee Bucks as well so that he knows the system he knows the offense he's improved as a three-point shooter which is you know if Mike Budenholzer wants guys to jack up threes you know he's going to be capable of that uh and then you know the salaries match uh there's an opportunity for you not to have to trade uh get rid of some draft capital and then you finally would have a true point guard on the roster I don't think there are many fits that would be better than uh a reunion with Javon Carter and Phoenix you brought up some great points CJ one obviously the assist to turnover ratio one of the best in the NBA that would be huge for the Phoenix Suns as we know their turnovers were a big problem for their detriment in the regular season and in the playoffs also i completely forgot that he was on the Milwaukee Bucks teaming up with Budenholzer already so yeah coming back you mentioned the three getting better could kind of fit in with that offense with this squad being that set up guy being that you know initiator for this offense something that we think that we really need to see bringing back Javon Carter i think would be a fantastic move and you mentioned maybe not even have to give up one of those draft picks as well maybe toss in a second or something like that that would be a-okay but no not gonna have to give up that first and saving it to possibly use it with Nurkic or even another guy down the line absolutely fantastic the next guy that we're going to be diving in and looking at is a wing looking at Jalen McDaniels making around 4.7 million dollars a small forward for the Toronto Raptors wasn't one of the guys that I was really the highest on but I thought you know kind of come in be another three and D wing on this Suns rotation something that they kind of really Lack would also help them save a little bit of money by taking the $4.7 million compared to the $6.7 million. And the Raptors, also a young team trying to rebuild, could take a flyer on Nazir Little. Now, CJ, what are your kind of thoughts on Jalen McDaniels? I think Jalen McDaniels is a solid player. Suns fans may see some resemblance. He's actually the older brother of Jaden McDaniels from the Minnesota Timberwolves that was living in Devin Booker's nightmares, basically, over the course of the playoffs. But unfortunately, Jalen McDaniels, not quite the defender that Jaden is. He's a decent, solid rotational player. He's got some size. He can be aggressive at times, particularly on the offensive end, but he's not the same class caliber of rebounder. He's not the same caliber of defender. he's not as polished on the offensive end he's more of a you know uh you know more so is makes up for those and hustle plays maybe he is able to score on plays that are not designed for him um and the suns kind of already have a bunch of guys like that he's kind of more or less a poor man's Royce O'Neale and just not as good of a three-point shooter uh so this wouldn't necessarily be the kind of addition i think the suns are looking for yes there would be some cap savings if they were to trade nasir little to the toronto raptors for Jalen McDaniels but is it really going to do that much to assist the team I think if I was Budenholzer I think I'd rather have Little as opposed to Jalen McDaniels so this is probably one of those options that if it came about I feel like the Suns may want to see if they can get some extra draft capital coming their way maybe a second round pick or a late first you know if Toronto were able to acquire one but this one I don't know if it moves the needle as much as we wanted to yeah and that's totally fine you know what i mean a little bit of a salary cap saver but if it's not going to move the needle if it's not going to get it done if nazir little's value is on the market for a little bit better i'm sure Matt Ishbia and Joe will try to get the best value out of a guy in Nazir Little, the last guy that we're going to be bringing up is the other position that we kind of think the Suns need is a center, looking at Nick Richards from the Charlotte Hornets, makes around five million dollars so the Suns would be saving a little bit more money as well he is on a two-year deal, the 26 year old is a solid rebounder for the Hornets and with a team who's you know been rumored into being interested in some big guys might have to re-sign Miles Bridges possibly as well, having Mark Williams is a nice young big man, Nick Richards whose name has been on the trade block last season around the trade deadline and could be on it again this season and with the Suns needing another big man needing another rebounder guy who could be a potential decent piece for the backup center or even starting center, what do you think about Nick Richards? I like Nick Richards a lot, uh I think this is one of this would be a a real steal if the Phoenix Suns were able to find a way uh to get him onto the roster, he's seven feet tall, he's you know big body, he's going to be able to bang and bang inside but he's also athletic, he's got some quickness to him uh he's got some agility that you know allow him to to not necessarily get blown out of the building you know on the perimeter if he finds himself out there guarding some of these stretch fours uh I think Nick Richards has the potential to kind of be one of these late blooming big men uh that might have a couple pop-up seasons uh kind of in the same vein as kind of like a Hassan Whiteside, not Hassan, Hassan Whiteside who kind of had a pop-up couple of years uh or Rashawn Holmes he had a couple of really good years uh with the Sacramento Kings when he was able to get some additional playing time. I think Nick Richards has that kind of potential. He's not going to necessarily be an all-star caliber big man, but I think he would be a great depth piece, a rotational piece that can come in, give you some minutes. He's a pretty good shot blocker. Last season averaged a little bit over a shot block per game, and the Suns just really did not have any interior defensive prowess in the playoffs to going up against a team like the Minnesota Timberwolves. So adding someone like Nick Richards, adding someone that has that size, I think will be super beneficial. Plus he's young, plus he has some potential to get better and possibly become a very, very significant asset and piece to the team. I think this would be a great deal if the Suns could pull it off. Exactly. I think so too, CJ. And you mentioned not really being a superstar-esque type big. We saw with DeAndre Ayton, the Suns don't need that. Didn't really work out that well with Nurkic, but it can be toyed around. it can be utilized having these you know great just role quality centers that get rebounds get blocks and do their job play on the defensive side and Nick Richards I think would be a great fit kind of forgot to mention as well the Hornets would value you know a first round pick possibly Nazir Little as they're you know another young rising team as well so i think it would work best for both sides so CJ kind of looking at these three deals you kind of know your kind of scope you really like two of them you don't really like the other out of the three what is your best deal do you think it is the Nick Richards or do you think it is the Javon Carter move i think at the end of the day it's the the biggest glaring hole that the Phoenix Suns have is the lack of a true point guard on the team uh so the Javon Carter deal is the one that they would probably prefer out of uh the ones that they have now if there are some other moves that are able to be made some other trades um outside of this that happened first that maybe end up filling that need then i probably would lean towards uh the Nick Richards thing but in terms of this particular situation, you have to judge whether or not you want the talent and the potential or the need and the fit. And I think in this particular case, you really want the need and the fit that Javon Carter would provide if the Suns were able to acquire him. I'm glad that we agree, CJ. I'm all on bringing Javon Carter back. Get that point guard need ready. I think that there's some other possible centers in free agency. We mentioned Andre Drummond as a name. I think he could be a guy that could kind of be that Nick Richards role. So get that key point guard and worry about the center in the offseason but let us know down in the comment section who do you guys like out of these three guys possibly rank them down and if you don't like any of them drop down who you would like to see the Phoenix Suns pursue and go after this offseason as you guys know this is a place for daily Phoenix Suns content so if you guys enjoy it hit that like button hit that subscribe button for me and my boy CJ over here on Suns Digest we'll catch you guys in the next video peace out have a great rest of your day and go phoenix suns