Suns Urged to Trade With Pelicans

The Phoenix Suns could land two quality rotation players in a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Apr 16, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles against New Orleans Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels (11) during the second half of a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns are looking to improve a roster that was the victim of a first-round sweep in the 2024 playoffs, and various outlets continue to propose moves that the franchise can make to progress going into next season.

Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report had a particularly enticing trade idea that has both positives and negatives to it, this one involving the New Orleans Pelicans.

The trade in question:

Phoenix Suns Receive: Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr.

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Jusuf Nurkić and the No. 22 pick in the 2024 draft

The reasoning behind why the Suns would be inclined to accept this offer is quite straightforward, according to Hughes.

The Phoenix Suns need a point guard, whatever flexibility they can find and some way to build out their depth using more than minimum salaries as they blow past the second apron.

This deal addresses those concerns while trimming a couple million bucks from the payroll, plus additional tax penalties.

- Grant Hughes

The Suns would be adding a defense-first point guard that doesn't need the ball much, while also bringing on a versatile forward that can play minutes as a small-ball five.

This trade does present risks for Phoenix, however, despite the potential upside.

Nurkić performed well for the Suns last season, averaging 10.9 points, 11.0 rebounds and a career-best 4.0 assists. His ability to move the ball as a roll man was key to Phoenix's attack. A team this thin can't just start trimming away starters.

Nance, however, boasts a career assist rate of 12.7 percent that comes awfully close to Nurkić's 15.7 percent figure, and both bigs averaged roughly the same amount of fourth-quarter playing time (5.5 minutes for Nance; 6.1 for Nurkić). Superior defensive switchability and a higher three-point hit rate even give Nance a couple of edges.

Daniels is the real prize here, and he's the main reason New Orleans might cut off these talks quickly. A defense-first facilitator, he makes loads of sense as a supporting piece for the Suns' trio of scoring stars.

That said, the Pels need to address the potential loss of free-agent center Jonas Valančiūnas, and Daniels' career 31.2 percent shooting from deep makes him a tough fit alongside non-spacing superstar Zion Williamson.

- Hughes

This trade poses risks for both sides.

The Suns could be looking to scramble to find a true big-man, as Nance can play minutes as a small-ball five, but wouldn't be viable in that role consistently.

Daniels is a stellar defender and has upside on the offensive side of the ball, but a leap on that end is far from a guarantee.

The idea of parting with the number 22 pick is a gamble as well, as the Suns could be parting with a prospect that fits better in big-scope lineups compared to Nance Jr.

New Orleans would be risking giving up too early on Daniels, while also sacrificing some versatility in Nance Jr, but would be getting a potentially valuable draft pick and an upgrade from Valančiūnas.

Ultimately, the upsides and downsides of this proposal go both ways, but this is an idea that could go down as a win-win if it ever came to fruition.

The first round of the draft is set for June 26, the night that the Suns can finally move their eligible first-round picks in 2024 and 2031.