The NBA trade rumor mill is cranking up again now that the Suns have canned GM Ryan McDonough just a week before the start of the season. There is a great sense of urgency from Suns owner Robert Sarver to get the Phoenix franchise back to the winning ways it enjoyed last decade, and it starts with the team securing a veteran All-Star talent to lead a team of young studs like Devin Booker, Josh Jackson and DeAndre Ayton. Here are NBA Trade Rumors Kemba Walker Suns Lakers Spurs as well as more buzz ahead of the NBA season.
The Suns don’t care that Booker is technically a point guard as in this era of position-less basketball, talent always wins out. It was curious that ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted out the following on Monday.
“McDonough’s tenure was met with immediate success but difficulties with trades and draft picks short-circuited his tenure,” Wojnarowski wrote regarding NBA Trade Rumors Kemba Walker Suns Lakers Spurs. “McDonough has been pursuing a starting-level point guard in the marketplace only to have many teams holding the Suns up for an unprotected first round pick in talks.”
When NBA owners like Sarver get involved, the tendency is for them to push to accelerate the process of a young team. That means selling off future draft picks in order to make the immediate future look brighter. No doubt, Sarver fired McDonough in part because he believed he was a tad trigger-shy. The next GM of the Suns will be hired based on his willingness to complete a trade quickly. Here are more NBA Trade Rumors Kemba Walker Suns Lakers Spurs as the pro basketball season is just a week away.
This is why Kemba Walker immediately becomes a name in play for the Suns. Walker has said time and again that he wants to remain with the Hornets but it’s not entirely clear if GM Mitch Kupchak agrees that Walker is the future cornerstone of the franchise. The Hornets look headed for another season of playoff-less basketball, so if the team gets off to a rocky start you can bet that Kupchak will start looking for trade partners. Walker is set to become a free agent next summer and the Hornets obviously don’t want to see him walk out the door for nothing.
What is good news for teams potentially pursuing Walker is that the entire league knows that Kupchak’s back is against the wall, and most of the contenders in the NBA already have a point guard they are happy with. What the Hornets get in return for Walker likely won’t be substantial.
For instance, if the LeBron and the Lakers are unhappy with Lonzo Ball this winter – a straight up trade of Walker for Ball would work for Kupchak. Los Angeles would not have to part with their crown jewel in any trade package, which is Brandon Ingram. Walker would instantly give the Lakers more scoring from the point guard position, something that is severely lacking with Ball and Rajon Rondo currently running the show.
Another potential landing spot for Walker is with the Spurs. San Antonio is looking for another scorer to place alongside DeMar DeRozan in the backcourt, and it’s looking like Gregg Popovich wants to get back into contention quickly. Popovich is likely to retire by the end of the 2020 season and wants one more shot at a ring. Expect San Antonio to be in the mix for most any All-Star level player that becomes available in the next 10 months. Above are NBA Trade Rumors Kemba Walker Suns Lakers Spurs as well as more buzz ahead of the NBA season.
