The NBA Trade Rumors are shaping up as the rosters get filled. The Phoenix Suns had a breakout season from Gerald Green but he might not be in their long term plans.
The Suns had one of the weaker line-ups on paper. Gerald Green already went to the D-League prior to his Phoenix stint and was not considered as a contributor. However, he thrived under new coach Jeff Hornacek's system.
While he has established that he belongs in the NBA, Gerald Green might be on his last days in a Suns jersey. Grantland writes:
"It's a matter of math. The Suns just inked Bledsoe, Isaiah Thomas, Zoran Dragic, and the Morii to multiyear contracts, and they'll get an extra first-round pick from the Lakers at some point over the next three seasons. Barring a big trade, the roster is damn near full going forward.
Green will be a free agent in July, and while he was productive raining 3s for Phoenix last season, he may not have a future here. Trading him would be a gamble, since the Suns don't have a traditional shooting guard with Green's range. P.J. Tucker is a defense-first small forward, Marcus Morris is a tweener forward, and it's unclear if Zoran Dragic and Archie Goodwin are ready to contribute.
The Suns do have three starting-quality point guards, and those guys will eat up a lot of the shooting guard minutes. Green is movable, and if the Suns can get a couple of second-rounders for him, they might pull the trigger."
The Suns are spent on keeping the Bledsoe and Dragic tandem intact. Green might move on, and it could be good for him. The Chicago Bulls are a team without a shooting guard (Jimmy Butler is a defensive minded two and can easily move up to three with Luol Deng gone).
But it might not happen soon. From Bulls.com:
"Green's not going to be quiet in a reduced role. He had a terrific season last season and the Bulls, sure, don't have a true shooting guard. Thus the guess. But Green's nowhere even close to defending like Jimmy Butler and a not the kind of showboat player non-defender Thibodeau likes. Doesn't seem like a match to me."
Maybe later in the season?
