Shams: Suns Expected to Be 'Incredibly Active' at Deadline After Failed Kyrie Pursuit

The Phoenix Suns didn't land Kyrie Irving, but that reportedly won't stop them from being aggressive ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.

"The Suns are expected to be incredibly active over the next several days to add to the roster," Shams Charania of The Athletic reported, noting Mat Ishbia is taking over and "expected to be a resourceful, open-minded" new governor.

According to Charania, Phoenix offered a package that included Chris Paul, Jae Crowder and a first-round pick for Irving.

While any package that includes a future Hall of Famer and one of the best point guards of all time in Paul is notable, he is 37 years old and in the stretch run of his career. His long-term future with the organization is also "uncertain" since he has just a partial guarantee of half his salary for 2023-24, per Charania.

Crowder has yet to play this season after he and the team agreed to find a trade. One first-round pick apparently wasn't enough since Charania reported "three first-round picks could have clinched a deal" for Irving.

Instead, the Brooklyn Nets agreed to trade the eight-time All-Star and Markieff Morris to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029, per Charania.

That means one of the teams the Suns are battling with for positioning in the Western Conference standings appears even stronger, with Irving giving Dallas the No. 2 option alongside Luka Dončić it has needed throughout the season.

Phoenix is 29-26 and in fifth place in the West, while Dallas is just a half-game back at 28-28.

That the Suns may be aggressive isn't surprising. They are still in an ideal position even though Paul and Devin Booker have missed significant time, suggesting they could make a move with better health and a notable addition or two.

This is a franchise that went to the 2021 NBA Finals and finished with the best record in the league last season at 64-18. While it doesn't have a championship during this recent run of success, it has come close and still has a core that could challenge the best teams in the league come playoff time.

That is especially true if the Suns make a significant move ahead of the deadline.