PHOENIX - If the Clippers wind up selling after the fallout from the NBA’s punishment tied to improper salary cap circumnavigation involving Kawhi Leonard, the Suns could have a name worth circling: Darius Garland.
Phoenix has already invested in Devin Booker and Jalen Green at guard, but that pairing didn’t get much run last season. Booker is locked into the city’s long-term picture, while Green has been viewed by some as the more movable piece if the Suns decide to shake up the backcourt.
Garland checks a box Phoenix has been trying to fill. The Suns have been searching for a more natural point guard, and while Booker can handle that job, he’s better suited to playing his more natural shooting guard role - the one that lets him attack downhill instead of carrying the full burden of primary ball-handling.
That’s why Garland keeps coming up as such a clean match.
As PHNX’s Stephen PridGeon-Garner put it earlier this week on PHNX Suns:
"Very good point guard. I think people lose sight of how good of a point guard he is because he scores the ball and he has a more flashy and style of play - the highlight-worthy type things. That has impact as well but I think he's a very, very, very good point guard,"
He also described Garland as:
"Almost as traditional of a point guard as it gets in the modern sense"
Garland is heading into his eighth season and has built a résumé that makes him one of the more appealing guards that could be in play. He’s a two-time All-Star, with career averages of 18.9 points and 6.7 assists per game, and he has shot 39% from three.
There’s also a connection here that gives the idea some real traction. Suns head coach Jordan Ott spent time with Garland in Cleveland before taking the Phoenix job last season. Phoenix had also been tied to Garland in trade chatter when Kevin Durant was still on the roster.
The obstacle, though, is the price. The Clippers lost five first-round picks, and if they end up looking to rebuild their draft stock, the Suns may not have the kind of pick package that gets a deal done.
That’s where Green comes back into the conversation. Would Los Angeles want him in a theoretical swap?
Maybe. Maybe not.
And Phoenix may not be eager to move on from him yet anyway.
Still, it’s not every day a team finds a trade target who fits this neatly.
In Other News...
Clippers Fans Just Got A Brutal Look At This Teams Future
The Clippers long-term outlook took a serious hit when the NBA handed down punishment tied to Kawhi Leonards contract extension, leaving the franchise staring at a much tougher path forward. For a team that has spent years trying to build around veteran talent, the loss of draft capital changes the equation in a hurry and makes the next stretch feel less like a retool and more like a painful reset.
For fans, the frustration goes beyond the standings because this kind of penalty can reshape an organizations future before the basketball even gets played. It also gives the Lakers another reason to watch a cross-town rival from a distance, while Leonards name gets pulled back into a story he would probably rather leave behind. The real challenge now is how the Clippers answer the shortage of young assets, because the road back just got a lot harder. [Read more 🡒]
Kawhi's Toronto Reunion Is Still Stuck For One Serious Reason
Kawhi Leonards path back to Toronto took a major legal step forward when the NBA finished its investigation into the Clippers handling of his contract, removing the threat of a suspension that had loomed over any reunion. The league still handed down significant penalties to Los Angeles, and the situation has left both sides in a holding pattern while the trade paperwork remains unresolved.
Even with Leonard cleared, the deal is not simply ready to roll. Toronto is said to be taking a harder look at the terms after the Clippers were hit with five first-round pick losses and a $30 million fine, while Los Angeles is planning to challenge the punishment. For now, neither team has said much publicly, and the most important part of the reunion still appears to be stuck behind what happens next. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers May Have Found The Frontcourt Fit They Were Missing
John Collins is gone after signing with the Detroit Pistons, but the Clippers may have answered one of their frontcourt questions with Rui Hachimura, a move that adds a very different kind of spacing to the rotation. Hachimura brings a reputation as a reliable perimeter threat, and the fit with Brook Lopez gives Los Angeles a pair of bigs who can pull defenses out of the paint and open up the floor in ways this roster needed.
Hachimuras shooting with the Lakers only strengthened that case, as he was efficient from deep throughout the season and then took it up another notch in the playoffs. For a Clippers team that has spent plenty of time searching for cleaner offensive balance around its stars, the hope is that this combination of size and shooting finally gives the frontcourt the right blend of toughness and room to operate. [Read more 🡒]