Bleacher Report listed Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey and Rui Hachimura as Phoenix's top targets with just about one month left until the league's trade deadline.
Williamson is obviously the biggest name on this list, and Dan Favale believes he makes perfect sense.
"Getting a bigger forward with more offensive juice to squeeze would go a long way for the (still) surprisingly plucky Phoenix Suns. Someone like John Collins verges on ideal, but at this point, if you're giving up one or more of Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks and Royce O'Neale, you need to aim higher," he wrote.
"Enter Zion Williamson. Mortgaging the farm for his services is a no-no. Fortunately, the Suns don't have much left to mortgage. Zion is the star-sized gamble you make if the New Orleans Pelicans are looking for matching money—like, the injured Jalen Green plus stuff—and not much else.
"The Suns are uncomfortably reliant on Dillon Brooks teeing up shots right now. Zion takes care of that."
No idea where BR gets this top target list from. Probably not the Suns. Most likely making up a list of who they might target if they were the Suns.
The 2026 NBA Trade Deadline is set for Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 3 p.m. ET
I've liked Bey for a while and he's playing well in NOLA but I'd like someone a bit bigger. He's still in that Brooks/Royce mold. Also liked Rui going back to the draft but he's not a good defender or rebounder.
I'd be very hesitant about Zion for obvious reasons but if you're talking Green and filler, it might be a low-risk/buy low opportunity. Just not sure how he'd fit in a passing/movement offense because he's at his best on the ball and getting downhill.
The asking price for Williamson will likely be too high and we would add another injury prone guy that we would have to mitigate playing time for just like we do with Mark Williams. I don't know that we want that. He can still be a big time force in the paint, but he does not shoot the ball well.
Have we seen any evidence that Zion wants to take his conditioning and health more seriously? He's fool's gold unless and until he decides to do that.
Zion's games played in every one of his NBA seasons: 24, 61, 29, 70, 30, 20. He's had two healthy/good NBA seasons, and only one out of the past four. You also see a lot of those tattle-tale articles and tweets come out about how he's spotted out with porn stars, getting girls knocked up, staying out clubbing late, that sort of thing. I just don't think he has the kind of character we want here. And I don't want another injured guy here where I have no idea if he's going to play every game, especially given that our training staff are not the miracle workers they used to be.
In terms of salaries and trades, Zion makes $39m/year for the next 3 seasons. Jalen Green ($33m/3yr) would be the obvious trade partner here, along with maybe Nick Richards ($5m/yr). It's easy to throw Jalen Green into trades because he has been out and hasn't done much for us. But I do wonder whether it's better to keep the guy who isn't a knucklehead and looked extremely good for us before his seemingly one-off hamstring injury.
I don’t get why trading Green for Zion is seen as “not much”. If nothing else Green fits great in the locker room. He’s always the first up off the bench and his teammates love him. If we are going after potential head cases we might as well try to trade for Kuminga again. And I’m against that too coz it would involve Royce.
I don’t get why trading Green for Zion is seen as “not much”. If nothing else Green fits great in the locker room. He’s always the first up off the bench and his teammates love him. If we are going after potential head cases we might as well try to trade for Kuminga again. And I’m against that too coz it would involve Royce.
All of the (limited) data we have on Green has been really positive. The 1.25 games he played, he was excellent; and when he hasn't played he has been engaged and active and very present with the team on the sidelines and in the locker room. It isn't much, but I do think we should give him a real chance and wait for him to get back healthy to see how the team works with him in the lineup before deciding whether to keep or trade him. If NOP wants to offload Zion, we can talk to them in the offseason.
I don’t get why trading Green for Zion is seen as “not much”. If nothing else Green fits great in the locker room. He’s always the first up off the bench and his teammates love him. If we are going after potential head cases we might as well try to trade for Kuminga again. And I’m against that too coz it would involve Royce.
All of the (limited) data we have on Green has been really positive. The 1.25 games he played, he was excellent; and when he hasn't played he has been engaged and active and very present with the team on the sidelines and in the locker room. It isn't much, but I do think we should give him a real chance and wait for him to get back healthy to see how the team works with him in the lineup before deciding whether to keep or trade him. If NOP wants to offload Zion, we can talk to them in the offseason.
I do really like how engaged and enthusiastic he's been on the bench and around the guys while he's been out. Seems like a really good dude and genuinely happy for guys when they have big games.
I don’t get why trading Green for Zion is seen as “not much”. If nothing else Green fits great in the locker room. He’s always the first up off the bench and his teammates love him. If we are going after potential head cases we might as well try to trade for Kuminga again. And I’m against that too coz it would involve Royce.
All of the (limited) data we have on Green has been really positive. The 1.25 games he played, he was excellent; and when he hasn't played he has been engaged and active and very present with the team on the sidelines and in the locker room. It isn't much, but I do think we should give him a real chance and wait for him to get back healthy to see how the team works with him in the lineup before deciding whether to keep or trade him. If NOP wants to offload Zion, we can talk to them in the offseason.
I do really like how engaged and enthusiastic he's been on the bench and around the guys while he's been out. Seems like a really good dude and genuinely happy for guys when they have big games.
Yep, it would probably be upsetting to the whole team chemistry if we were to trade him now. His 5 quarters were fantastic. I hope we get more of that when he makes his way back to the lineup. Just an unfortunate start to his Suns' career after being so healthy previously.
I don’t get why trading Green for Zion is seen as “not much”. If nothing else Green fits great in the locker room. He’s always the first up off the bench and his teammates love him. If we are going after potential head cases we might as well try to trade for Kuminga again. And I’m against that too coz it would involve Royce.
All of the (limited) data we have on Green has been really positive. The 1.25 games he played, he was excellent; and when he hasn't played he has been engaged and active and very present with the team on the sidelines and in the locker room. It isn't much, but I do think we should give him a real chance and wait for him to get back healthy to see how the team works with him in the lineup before deciding whether to keep or trade him. If NOP wants to offload Zion, we can talk to them in the offseason.
I do really like how engaged and enthusiastic he's been on the bench and around the guys while he's been out. Seems like a really good dude and genuinely happy for guys when they have big games.
Great point.. Love how Greens been cheerleading his teammates, all while dealing with his own frustrations of being injured. Shows a lot of maturity for a kid his age.
Goals -
1. Get under the luxury tax
2. Get value from offloading Nick Richards
3. Reduce backcourt redundancy
4. Get bigger
5. Get younger, if possible
I tried not to propose anything I didn't think the other team would logically do and used Spotrac's trade machine. There are a number of teams that make sense as trade partners that are hard-capped or have apron limitations, which is frustrating.
Trade ideas: Nick for Precious Achiuwa. Accomplishes goals 1 and 4 (Achiuwa can play some 4 next to Oso or Mark. Richards can't). Trade can only be made on 2/4. (I don't think Kings do this because they already have 3 mid backup centers behind Sabonis) Nick for Andre Jackson Jr. and Amir Coffee (MIL) Accomplishes goals 1, 2, and 5. Takes a flier on Jackson Jr. who's similar to Dunn, but an athletic wing. Amir Coffee is a wing who can shoot. Bucks need a backup C. Nick for Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson (Den) Similar to the above trade. Takes a flier on Tyson. Denver is desperate for short term center help. Both players had great games tonight and Pickett adds to our backcourt logjam so maybe we could re-route him and get Denver another asset. Nick and NHD for Baylor Scheierman, Xavier Tillman, Chris Boucher and 1-2 second round picks(BOS) BOS needs center depth, and this trade reduces their tax bill by a few million. We get a better fit in Boucher, a flier in Scheierman and the 2rps as a result although we'd need to make another move to get under the L-tax. Nick Richards and a 2rp for Marvin Bagley and Anthony Gill gets us under the L-tax and Bagley can play the 4 for us. I'd really only do this if we can acquire a 2rp from a different trade to use towards this one. Maybe as part of a 3-team deal. Nick Richards for Dalton Knecht Lakers seem eager to dump Knecht after the failed Mark Williams trade and Knecht falling out of the rotation. We get out of the L-Tax, but take on the additional years of Knecht's deal. Royce for Jaylin Williams Accomplishes 1, 3, 4, 5 or Royce for Ousmane Dieng Accomplishes the same. On the one hand, this would be tough to swallow as Royce helps more now, on the other hand, I love this as a Rogers + Delk for Joe Johnson type of trade because I'm high on Dieng's future. Both help the Thunder strengthen their title changes. We'd also be able to take on more $ in another trade, get assets, and still stay under the tax. Or, worst case, Royce for Kenrich Williams, which accomplishes 1, 3 and 4. Royce for John Konchar or Royce and a 2rp for Konchar and GG Jackson Both moves would be now for future moves and give us a look at two players who are younger and bigger (or play bigger) than Royce and help with our current and future cap sheet. Similar to the one above, we'd also be able to take on more $ in another trade, get assets, and still stay under the tax. Memphis would have to want to compete now and really like Royce. Royce for Jalen Smith I don't love it and I'm not sure Chicago would either, but they have a weird roster that needs shooting and it would accomplish 1, 3 and 4 for us. Royce for Jeremy Sochan 1,3,4,5, but leaves us with another PF who's not reliable from outside. Sochan is a much better defender than Royce. Grayson for Beef Stew I think we lose on talent, but achieve 1, 3 and 4. Could we squeeze another asset out of them?
Richards hasn't really contributed for us this year. But are we sure we are ready to bet on Williams? He has been great, but what about the health issues? If Williams goes down, we may regret trading Richards. That would put a lot of pressure on guys like Oso or ManMan to hold up our C minutes.
Richards hasn't really contributed for us this year. But are we sure we are ready to bet on Williams? He has been great, but what about the health issues? If Williams goes down, we may regret trading Richards. That would put a lot of pressure on guys like Oso or ManMan to hold up our C minutes.
Whether Williams gets hurt or not, Richards is a waste of a roster spot to me. He's horrible.
Richards hasn't really contributed for us this year. But are we sure we are ready to bet on Williams? He has been great, but what about the health issues? If Williams goes down, we may regret trading Richards. That would put a lot of pressure on guys like Oso or ManMan to hold up our C minutes.
Whether Williams gets hurt or not, Richards is a waste of a roster spot to me. He's horrible.
It's all black and white with you on your player evaluations. You're in or you're out. Like O'Neale, Richards has some good traits and can be effective at times. Of course, he's far from a great player but he can be serviceable at times. I'm with Marty that he's not a bad insurance policy. The alternative would be to throw Man Man into the fire if the time came.
