Why The Phoenix Suns Do The Deal 

For the Phoenix Suns, this deal is a little simpler. In fact, it’s no more than a talent upgrade. 

Of course, the Suns are in an ideal position to make one of those. This team made the NBA Finals in 2020-21. They followed that up by winning the most regular season games in the NBA in 2021-22, albeit before collapsing in the Western Conference Semifinals. 

Their Game 7 performance against the Dallas Mavericks may have been disappointing, but write the Suns off as contenders at your own peril. At the same time, it wouldn’t hurt to improve the roster. This deal does exactly that.

John Collins may not be quite as accurate a shooter as Johnson, but he’s a more dynamic offensive player. With an elite vertical for his size, Collins can roll or pop out of pick-and-roll situations.

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With a maestro playmaker like Chris Paul on the floor, that’s especially valuable. All told, the Suns will do a better job of keeping opponents guessing following this trade. 

That alone justifies this trade for them – even if they’re sacrificing some quantity for a little more quality.