Does this trade make sense for the Phoenix Suns?
Both Dario Saric and Jalen Smith bring nothing to the table this season in regards to the Phoenix Suns’ title chances, whereas Thaddeus Young is a guy who could play big minutes right away. There is no reason for Phoenix not to make this trade with San Antonio, especially since Young is a diverse and versatile player late in his career.
While he is only averaging a career-low 14.2 minutes per game with the the San Antonio Spurs this season, Young is still scoring 6.2 points, grabbing 3.4 rebounds and is shooting 56.6% from the floor.
No matter his role, Thaddeus Young always finds ways to produce for his team, which is why he would be a great “insurance” player behind the likes of Deandre Ayton and JaVale McGee in the frontcourt.
Many teams around the league are going to be targeting Thaddeus Young ahead of the trade deadline as they look to make a playoff push, which is why this trade package may not be enough for Phoenix to land the veteran from San Antonio.
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The Spurs are rebuilding and they are going to want all the future assets they can get in a trade for Young. Jalen Smith and Dario Saric bring some upside, but a protected first-round pick in 2024 and a second-round pick in 2025 may not be enough for this franchise.
The Suns do not have a 2022 first-round pick, as that was traded to Oklahoma City for Chris Paul, and as a result, they cannot send out a first-round pick until 2024 at the earliest.
The protections on it are not that big of a deal to the Spurs, as the Suns would not be a lottery picking team, but waiting until 2024 to get draft compensation is a concerning factor for the Spurs.
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If they can convince the Spurs to make this trade, the Suns should definitely be “all-in” on acquiring Thaddeus Young. The Phoenix Suns have put an emphasis on adding some more frontcourt talent and since Jae Crowder is not really a “true” power-forward, they could be getting that final championship piece they need by making this trade with San Antonio.
