NBA Rumors: Suns Could Trade Kelly Oubre Jr. And Mikal Bridges For Draymond Green, ‘Bleacher Report’ Suggests
The Phoenix Suns may be included on the list of teams who would play in Orlando, Florida when the 2019-20 NBA season resumes on July 30, but with the current talents on their roster, most people don’t expect them to get the final playoff spot in the deep Western Conference. In order to have a realistic chance of ending their years of playoff drought, they need to add more quality players that complement the face of the franchise, Devin Booker. One of the potential trade targets for the Suns in the 2020 offseason is All-Star power forward Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.
Green may not be the legitimate superstar they are dreaming to pair with Booker and DeAndre Ayton, but Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report strongly believes his potential arrival in Phoenix could help them reach the 2021 NBA Playoffs. However, to acquire him from the Warriors, the Suns would need to give up some of their young players. In the proposed trade deal, they would send a trade package that included Kelly Oubre Jr. and Mikal Bridges to the Warriors in exchange for Green and a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick.
“Spacing would be an issue with a Deandre Ayton-Draymond Green frontcourt (not to mention Ricky Rubio at point guard), but this deal would give the Phoenix Suns the defensive backbone they lack,” Hughes wrote. “Though Ayton improved as a sophomore, he’s still not the kind of anchor Phoenix needs to reach the playoffs in the West. Green could cover for Ayton and act as a secondary playmaker on offense, freeing up Devin Booker to focus solely on scoring.”
Green may not be a LeBron James or a Kawhi Leonard type of player, but he is capable of making a difference for the Suns next season. Though he’s not a prolific scorer nor an efficient three-point shooter, he would give them an incredible rebounder, playmaker, and defender who wouldn’t mind doing the dirty work for the team. His successful acquisition would tremendously improve Phoenix’s defensive efficiency, which currently ranks No. 18 in the league, allowing 108.7 points per 100 possessions, according to ESPN.
Aside from being a reliable contributor on both ends of the floor, Green would also be a great mentor to Booker and Ayton. He could help the Suns unleash the full potential of their young superstar duo, just like he did with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson at Golden State. He could teach them a thing or two about winning and how to excel in a playoff environment.
Meanwhile, it remains a big question mark if the Warriors would agree with the proposed trade. Oubre Jr. and Bridges would undeniably be intriguing acquisitions for Golden State, but with their goal to reclaim the NBA championship title next season, they are better off keeping Green on their roster. As Hughes noted, the only way the Warriors would consider trading Green for Oubre Jr. and Bridges is if they think the All-Star power forward is already done as a “real difference-maker.”
