Is Towns the star needed to turn the Suns around?
Every loss further drives the narrative for Phoenix to do something major.
The Suns (14-22) are just a game behind San Antonio for the eighth playoff spot going into Monday’s games after falling to Memphis (15-22) for a second straight time, 121-114, Sunday night.
Phoenix has gone from being a work in progress in the preseason to showing the potential to be a playoff team to displaying an inconsistency that had Monty Williams leaving Sunday’s post-game press conference without taking any questions after delivering a statement that pulled no punches.
“"Until we learn how to play the right way consistently, we're just going to have a lot of nights like this," he said. "That's the deal. Until we learn how to play the right way consistently, and follow a game plan, we're going to play well one night, and then we're going to have nights like this. Play well one night, have nights like this. Going to play well one night, have nights like this. Until we learn how to play the right way and follow a game plan, consistently, we're going to have these nights.”
So, what’s next?
The Suns have a healthy roster minus Frank Kaminsky, who is out indefinitely with a right patella stress fracture. He should’ve probably shut it down earlier, but Kaminsky played through pain as
Phoenix was without Deandre Ayton for five games with an ankle sprain after missing 25 games due to suspension.
Ayton’s absence while still being in what one could call development mode has fueled the idea that Phoenix could trade the top pick in the 2018 draft to Minnesota (14-21) as part of a deal to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns, who reportedly is unhappy in his current situation.
The deal would likely include shipping Tyler Johnson, who is in the final year of his deal that’s paying him $19 million, and a first-round pick.
The trade deadline is Feb. 6. There’s no question Towns is a tremendous talent. The two-time all-star is a complete offensive player who, paired with his college teammate, Devin Booker, would give Phoenix one of the league’s top duos.
Adding a talent like Towns should make Phoenix better.
However, this would also mean Phoenix giving up on a player who could very well become what Towns is right now. The Suns have talked about Ayton being a cornerstone piece with Booker.
So, they’d give up on that and risk regretting it two years from now.
Plus, they’d take on a contract that has four years and essentially $131 million remaining on it after this season.
Pair that deal up with Booker’s contract, which has the same amount left after this season, that makes it difficult for Phoenix to financially add a quality piece or two.
By making this move, Phoenix would be banking Towns will take them to that championship level because he’d be the best player on the team.
Plus, would Minnesota want to take on the challenge of having Ayton on their roster and trying to figure out if he can make them better?
At the same time, the T-Wolves, without Towns, would have plenty of money to reconstruct a team to challenge in the West. And can they get more for Towns from another team than Phoenix could offer with Ayton, Tyler Johnson and a draft pick that would likely be in the middle of the first round?
Phoenix might have to part ways with Cam Johnson, too.
Minnesota is 29th in the league in 3point shooting percentage at 32.2%. The T-Wolves could certainly use Johnson, who is shooting 39.9% from deep and is capable of being a mid-40% shooter.
Then again, if Ayton is a trade option, everyone else, minus Booker, would be, too. A third team might be needed to make all of this possible.
Raised expectations has taken this narrative to the level where Phoenix needs to do something major to reach them right now, not later. Will the Suns pull off what would be a very major move to improve their chances of becoming a playoff team this season?
They have a month to do it.