The trade idea that would shock the Western Conference

ESPN's Zach Lowe floated the "fake trade" idea on his latest podcast.

Before you go crazy, realize that this trade idea is nothing more than that: an idea.

There are no reports saying it could happen. The only reason we're writing about a D'Angelo Russell for Chris Paul trade is because ESPN's Zach Lowe had some fun with the "fake trade" idea on his latest podcast. 

"Chris Paul's just better than D'Angelo Russell. If I'm making that trade as Phoenix, I'm doing it solely because I'm giving up on this season and I want to re-sign D'Lo and pair him with his friend Devin Booker," Lowe said. 

Entering play Tuesday, the Suns and Wolves are in the middle of a muddied Western Conference playoff race in which 2.5 games separates the fourth-place Clippers (28-25) from the 12th-place Trail Blazers (24-26). The Warriors (26-24), Mavericks (27-25), Suns (27-25), Pelicans (26-25), Timberwolves (27-26), Jazz (26-26) and Thunder (24-26) are jammed in between. 

The Feb. 9 trade deadline is fast approaching and a lot of teams need to decide if they are good enough to contend as is, need to upgrade their roster to make a push, or sell tradable assets and look ahead to the great beyond. 

The Suns trading Paul wouldn't necessarily mean they're punting on this season. Acquiring Russell gives them a point guard who is 10 years younger and if he signs an extension he would fit in with Phoenix's young core of Booker, Cameron Johnson, DeAndre Ayton and Mikal Bridges, who are all between 24-26 years old. 

Booker is expected back this week, having been out since Christmas with a groin injury. With Booker healthy, the Suns have a great chance to get hot (they started the season 15-6 with everyone healthy) and contend for a top four seed in the West. 

Russell, outside of being a liability on defense, has been as good of a shooter as anyone in the NBA for the last two months. Since the start of December, Russell is averaging 20.1 points and 5.9 assists while shooting 48.6% overall, 42.9% from 3 and 90.3% from the free-throw line. That's almost 50-40-90, which is elite-level shooting.

Paul, meanwhile, would give the Timberwolves a veteran presence and trustworthy point guard on both ends of the floor – if he stays healthy – for a potential playoff push that could also feature the return of Karl-Anthony Towns, who has been out since Nov. 28 with a calf injury. 

Paul, despite being 37, is having an outstanding season. He's averaging 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 8.7 assists while shooting 41.3% from 3. He's due $60.8 million over the next two seasons, but only $15.8 million is guaranteed.  

It's a trade idea that makes sense on the surface, but based on what NBA insider Chris Haynes said on the debut episode of the #thisleague UNCUT podcast with Marc Stein, an unidentified front office member from the Suns or Mavericks says teams are in a holding pattern due to the competitive nature of the West. 

"Just talking one of the front office members of one of those two teams, they just basically explained to me that right now everybody feels like they still have a shot," said Haynes. "There are a lot of buyers but not really a lot of sellers."

Russell is a free agent this summer and with his future in Minnesota not cemented, there are many reasons that trading him now, while he is red-hot with the ball in his hands, wouldn't be a shock.