NBA Trade Deadline: Phoenix Suns Trade Wrong Point Guard, But...
The Phoenix Suns traded a point guard just before the NBA’s trade deadline passed Thursday.
One problem. It was the wrong one. As a result, the window has closed.
No, not the championship-contending window for the Suns. That one officially closed during the summer. This most recent closure is of the Suns’ ability to make the one trade they needed to make.
The team stayed true to their words by keeping Steve Nash and making a run at a lower playoff seed rather than following the recent examples of both the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz in blowing up an under-performing and under-talented team to build towards the future.
Instead, the Suns shipped off point guard Goran Dragic and a lottery-protected first-round pick to the Houston Rockets for guard Aaron Brooks.
Dragic was seen as the potential-laden heir to Nash in the backcourt, and after a terrific postseason effort against the Spurs last season, expectations were high. However, his tendency to commit turnovers and streaky shooting have hampered him this season.
In return, the Suns allow Brooks to escape from Rockets coach Rick Adelman’s doghouse, in which he was residing.
After the 2009-2010 season in which he averaged 19.6 points per game, Brooks appeared on the cusp of stardom. However, injuries, poor play and his clashes with Adelman have marred his season. His scoring has plummeted to 11.6 in a mere 23.9 minutes a game. His contract is favorable, as is will be a restricted free agent with a qualifying offer of just under $3 million for next season.
Brooks will back up Nash, and the prospect of pairing him on the court with the two-time MVP should be one that coach Alvin Gentry toys with.
This move should be all too familiar to Suns fans. Instead of making the difficult moves to address a faulty team in need of an overhaul, they instead slap on a shiny new coat of paint.
In the end, the Suns decided that being a first-round playoff participant for this season and perhaps next is worth more than rebuilding a thin and average roster. While no one can call into question the talent and leadership of Nash, his best value to the franchise could very well have been in the package of young talent and, more importantly, draft picks he would have netted.
While this trade brought in an exciting young player who should thrive in the Suns' system and result in some additional points, it’s only a few notches above a lateral move in the grand scheme of things.
Most importantly, it is not going to pry that important window open anytime soon.
