NBA Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz on T.J. McConnell, Patrick Beverly and More
October 17, 2018
The NBA regular season just officially tipped off, but teams are still trying to finalize their rosters.
One such team is the Phoenix Suns, who are looking to shore up their point guard position.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey's league sources, the Suns contacted the Philadelphia 76ers recently to inquire about a trade involving reserve point guard T.J. McConnell.
Phoenix offered a second-round pick in exchange for McConnell, but the Sixers passed on the offer.
Philly's reluctance to part with McConnell likely stems from his inspired play as an undrafted rookie and his ascension as an important player during the postseason last year.
The 26-year old guard out of Arizona's coming out party was during last season's Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics.
After getting the call to start in Game 4, the 6'2" floor general responded with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the Sixers' 103-92 win over the Celtics that forced a Game 5.
"There's an injection of energy you immediately know you're going to get from him," head coach Brett Brown told Jon Marks of the Boston Globe back in May. "He's got sort of unusual characteristics that you wouldn't think would be successful in an NBA playoff game—a tenacity, heart, commitment, competitiveness. Then there's that team thing. He's like a throwback."
With McConnell's flair for making contributions to the team that don't make it to the stat sheet, other teams in the league have taken notice.
Two seasons ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers approached Philly about a deal, offering Jordan McRae in exchange for McConnell. That offer was declined.
Last year, McConnell averaged 6.3 points, four assists and three rebounds per game.
Patrick Beverley to the Suns?
After the Suns shipped Brandon Knight to the Houston Rockets this summer, their search for another point guard intensified.
That pursuit included expressing interest in the Indiana Pacers' Cory Joseph, the Brooklyn Nets' Spencer Dinwiddie and the Los Angeles Clippers' Patrick Beverley, according to the Inquirer's Keith Pompey.
With a final roster of guards that include rookies Elie Okobo, De'Anthony Melton and Isaiah Canaan, it's easy to see why adding a player of Beverley's caliber would help Phoenix.
Beverley underwent microfracture and meniscus surgery on his right knee late last year and missed all but 11 games last season.
The uncertainty surrounding his comeback could be one of the reasons why the Clippers are willing to move him, according to Sam Amico of Amico Hoops.
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBALeague sources indicate the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers continue to be active in trade calls around the NBA. Both prefer to trade players vs simply waiving them. In addition, the Phoenix Suns continue to actively pursue point guards, but haven't gotten close yet.
That said, Beverley, who was named to the NBA All-Defensive First team in 2017 as a member of the Houston Rockets, averaged 12.2 points, 2.9 assists and 1.7 steals during his 11-game run.
In addition to his hard-nosed play as a defender, the 30-year old guard became a reliable three-point threat last season, connecting on 40 percent of his shots from behind the arc.
Beverley's shooting, along with his ability to get in the chest of opposing players, make him an appreciated asset around the league.
"They do have some versatile pieces, the speed and the quickness I think, with a guy like Beverley on the ball, it starts there," Minnesota Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau told Andrew Grief of the Los Angeles Times. "He has the ability to pressure the ball and contain it, and I think they have some athletic pieces that will be good."
A deal with the Suns seems unlikely, though, considering that they seem to only be offering second-round picks in exchange for serviceable NBA point guards.