Will the Suns Make a Bold Move for a Superstar? The Ringer Says Yes

Michael Pina, NBA analyst for The Ringer, predicts the Phoenix Suns will make a bold move to get over the championship hump.

The Phoenix Suns aren't exactly in a great place at the moment. 

The team went 1-5 on their road trip and have lost their last seven-of-eight games. Although they're still only five games back from first, the Suns are the No. 8 seed in the West as of this morning. 

Devin Booker is still out for the foreseeable future. Cam Johnson's return date is unknown. Phoenix has scored under 90 points in back-to-back games and the team in general has proven to be inconsistent at best in their recent form. 

With just under a month until the trade deadline, Jae Crowder still sits on the roster. Deandre Ayton becomes trade-eligible in just ten days (though he has veto rights) and the Suns might just be in dire need of a major change on the floor. 

Could we see a major name land in the Valley?

The Ringer's Michael Pina believes the Suns are going to wheel-and-deal for a major superstar in 2023:

"If a star becomes available, some combination of Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Johnson (in a sign-and-trade), and those picks would be an attractive package for any team that isn’t looking to bottom out," said Pina. 

"Think about [Karl-Anthony] Towns. What if the Suns offer Bridges, Landry Shamet, and as many unprotected picks and swaps as the CBA allows? Minnesota may be able to find a better offer, but that one is damn good.

"How about the Heat and Jimmy Butler? Or the Raptors and Siakam? Or (slow drumroll) what about the Lakers and LeBron James? The last one is a face-melter that’s not outside the realm of possibility. James’s family is rooted in Los Angeles, and flights to and from Phoenix are only an hour. 

"James Jones is a teammate he won three championships with. LeBron would finally get to play with Chris Paul, a longtime close friend, and Devin Booker, a pure scorer whose on- and off-ball fit makes plenty of sense.

"Would pushing multiple future assets all in on a 38-year-old be the wisest decision? Probably not. How badly would their defensive identity take a hit without Bridges and/or Ayton? Quite a bit. If they’re somehow able to keep Bridges, these Suns might even be the favorite, especially if they’re able to bring in a big like Nikola Vucevic, Brook Lopez, or Jakob Poeltl at the midlevel. 

"LeBron is more likely to stay in L.A. than not, but if he asks out this summer the Suns are a convenient place for him to end his career without losing face."

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