In a long article dedicated to the rumors surrounding the trade deadline, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report we learned this weekend that the Suns would be interested in two Rockets players, Kenyon Martin Jr. and Eric Gordon. The second named would not take a dim view of a departure from Houston, while the 2021 finalists are still looking to evacuate Jae Crowder.
After a big start to the season marked by several weeks at the top of the Western Conference, Phoenix has been suffering for several days, not spared by injuries. Among the players who are or have been affected since the beginning of the exercise, we find Cameron Johnson, Chris Paul, Dario Saric and recently Devin Booker. To all these physical glitches, we must add Jae Crowder who continues to sulk, he who has not played a single match since the resumption. And here are the Suns today stuck in a series of four consecutive defeats, now relegated to fourth place in the West behind the Pelicans, Grizzlies and Nuggets. While the trade deadline is set for February 9, 2023, James Jones has a job to give coach Monty Williams a more competitive squad.
It would seem that the GM of the Cactus has chosen to turn to Texas to make his market: Kenyon Martin Jr. and Eric Gordon would indeed have the favors of the board of the franchise of Arizona. The first drops his best career stats this year (10.7 points, 5.2 rebounds at 54% shooting) and is only 21 years old. As for the former Pelican, he has already announced his frustration at playing playground supervisor in rebuilding Houston. Soon to be 34, Gordon would probably prefer to give himself a chance to aim for the ring, while reuniting with Monty Williams who trained him during his time in New Orleans.
Among the candidates to leave Phoenix in a trade: Jae Crowder, of course, with his good humor and his $10 million salary this season. According to The Athletic, the Suns have reportedly recently re-opened talks for a three-way transfer sending Crowder to Milwaukee, four second-round draft picks and several (unknown) players to Houston, and Eric Gordon or/and Kenyon Martin Jr. to Phoenix. Can this kind of deal materialize?
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Sources texte : Bleacher Report / The Athletic
