NBA Trade Rumors: A Phoenix Suns Trade for Derrick Williams Makes Plenty Sense

The 2011 NBA Draft is just hours away, and the Phoenix Suns will have the No. 13 pick in the first round.

Who the Suns take with that pick is still up for debate as they have several needs on both sides of the ball.

However, recent trade rumors have Phoenix possibly trading center Marcin Gortat and the No. 13 pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for the No. 2 pick which would likely turn out to be Arizona's Derrick Williams.

According to many sources, the Suns along with the Washington Wizards are the two teams most interested in dealing for Minnesota's No. 2 pick.

Gortat played well for the Suns after coming over from Orlando in a late-December deal with the Magic.

Gortat saw his minutes double with Phoenix and his point (13.0 PPG) and rebound (9.3 RPG) numbers rise considerably.

The 27-year-old Pole has no doubt found a home in the desert, but if Phoenix has a shot to add a game-breaker like Williams to its roster, then Gortat would quickly become replaceable.

According to ESPN's Chad Ford Minnesota would prefer to acquire Los Angeles Lakers' center Andrew Bynum, but Gortat looks to be the best big man they could snag on draft night.

The potential deal makes plenty of sense though because like Ford says, Minnesota could then select a shooting guard like Washington State's Klay Thompson with Phoenix's No. 13 pick.

Minnesota already has a plethora of small forwards on its roster, most of which are young like Wesley Johnson (23) and Michael Beasley (22).

Williams, a California kid, would be close to home if drafted by the Suns, making the potential trade that more fitting.

Whatever happens on draft night, the Suns will likely be in the middle of it.

Patrick Clarke is a Featured Columnist for the Phoenix Suns and a student at Towson University.