One NBA analyst believes the Phoenix Suns should trade point guard Chris Paul to the Boston Celtics for former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart this offseason.
FS1’s Colin Cowherd thinks the trade would be great for both teams.
“Marcus Smart is exactly what Phoenix needs because of Kevin Durant’s history of breaking down,” Cowherd said. “They need a guy that’s younger, plays 65-70 games along with (Devin) Booker and Deandre Ayton. So when KD gets hurt, they’ve got their other three stars: Ayton, Smart and Booker. He’s also tough, he’s physical. I think Phoenix could use some of that.
“Booker’s an OK guard, not great defensively. Smart is great, coachable. Frank Vogel, new coach, loves guys like Marcus Smart — loves him. Physical, not going to be a ball hog. Also, I think Phoenix needs a new point guard. They have one in Chris Paul, but he’s not available. So when he’s not available and KD’s not available due to age and brittleness, it’s a wreck. So, he (Smart) obviously fits.”
The Suns could trade, waive or stretch Paul this offseason. Cowherd believes it would be better for Phoenix to get something in return for the future Hall of Famer and Smart certainly fits that bill.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics & Phoenix Suns Updates
Smart is arguably the best perimeter defender in the NBA, while Paul is still an elite passer.
“Who are the Celtics’ two stars? Young, in their prime: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown,” Cowherd said. “They play 70 games, they play a lot of minutes. It’s OK if Chris Paul plays 55 games. It’s OK if he plays 30 minutes, not 40, because they’ve got that comfort. This team in Boston doesn’t play with a lot of intention offensively. They don’t have a true quarterback.
“Marcus Smart’s a defensive guard first, Jaylen Brown’s a wing, Malcolm Brogdon’s a combo (and) Tatum’s a wing. They just free-wheel it, they freelance it. They have trouble getting into their offense. …Smart’s a defensive-minded guard. Chris Paul is an offensive-minded guard who was All-NBA two years ago. Yeah, you’re only going to get 58 games from him. So what? Tatum plays 68 to 70, Brown plays 68-70. The Celtics draft and develop well. They’ve got young guys on the bench. This makes sense to me.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics & Phoenix Suns Updates
It will be interesting to see what the Suns do with Paul this summer. The 38-year-old has a partially guaranteed contract for next season.
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