The Phoenix Suns could target this key player without giving up any rotation pieces.
We are still waiting for some trades to go down ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline as there has only been one in-season trade completed so far. With a lot of big names swirling in rumors, the Phoenix Suns could very well not be super active before the deadline, as However, it has become very clear the Suns need to add some size at the forward spot with multiple reports,The Suns, who have surpassed all preseason expectations with a 28-19 record so far, are loaded with guards, but have had to play all of them significant minutes because of injuries throughout the year.
Although Phoenix might not be the biggest team, it has found a formula with playing through its guards, but the Suns' lack of size, especially on the wings, could end up becoming a problem down the stretch and come playoff time. Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale are two rotation players who make a lot of sense for the Suns to trade if they want to swing for an upgrade at power forward, but they both have become integral parts of this season's team both on the court and in terms of the culture. As Fischer pointed out in his story, "the current marketplace, furthermore, isn't exactly flush with fours," and the Suns don't have much to offer in terms of trade capital, so it would be tough for Phoenix to find a serviceable power forward that would be an immediate upgrade over Allen or O'Neale.So who would make the most sense for the Suns to target in a trade at the four spot? New Orleans Pelicans 6-foot-8 forward Saddiq Bey, who is averaging 15.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in 42 games while only making $6.1 million, would be an ideal candidate for the Suns to trade for, as they would not have to give up any rotation players for him. Phoenix seems more likely than not to trade Nick Richards, who has fallen out of the rotation and is making $5 million, and if it packaged Nigel Hayes-Davis, who is on a veteran minimum contract, it could duck the luxury tax in addition to acquiring Bey. The only problem is how realistic this trade would be for the Suns to actually do, as it would be contingent on New Orleans, who is in last place in the West with a 12-37 record, having a fire sale of players before the deadline. Bey, who is on a very team friendly deal and also under contract next season, could be a hot commodity if so and a team could be willing to give New Orleans a first-round pick for him. The Suns, who have three tradeable second-round picks, would have to get creative in orchestrating a deal and potentially involve multiple teams for the 26-year-old Bey, who is having a resurgent season in his first year with the Pelicans after missing all of last season with a torn ACL.Bey would give the Suns a player who would fit their system and provide some tough-nose defense while being a well-rounded offensive player, as he is a career 35% 3-point shooter. The Suns also only have one player on the team averaging over five rebounds per game, so Bey would help a lot in this area. Bey played at Villanova with Suns guard Collin Gillespie from 2018-20, so those two are well acquainted with each other.If the Suns want a sure-fire rotation player who meets their needs when giving up Richards, Bey seems like the perfect choice if he is available.Brendan Mau is a staff writer for Suns on SI. Brendan has been a credentialed media member covering the Suns since 2023 and holds a bachelor’s degree in sports journalism from Arizona State’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. Follow Brendan on X @Brendan_Mau for more news, updates, analysis and more!
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