(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Phoenix Suns were the third team in the blockbuster Damian Lillard trade between the Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers.
The Suns offloaded Deandre Ayton in exchange for Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson.
While Ayton was the former No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, his relationship with the Suns had deteriorated beyond repair over the last few seasons.
Keeping that in mind, NBA analyst Rachel Nichols believes that the Suns ultimately got better after trading away Ayton, via “Undisputed” on Twitter.
“Big picture, they got better. It’s enough to bump them up in the Western Conference, and the Ayton situation became untenable for them,” Nichols said.
Did the Suns improve after the Damian Lillard trade?
“Big picture, they got better. It’s enough to bump them up in the Western Conference and the Ayton situation became untenable for them.” — @Rachel__Nichols pic.twitter.com/FB0na4n0Gi
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) September 28, 2023
At first sight, it may seem like the Suns are losers in this trade.
But in hindsight, they got rid of a disgruntled star and increased the depth of the roster.
Moreover, it’s not as if the Suns will have a problem scoring at will in the 2023-24 season.
They have Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal to take care of that department.
As for defense, Nurkic will be the primary center for the Suns next season.
Last season, Nurkic put up 13.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, but fans should expect his scoring output to go down.
But on a positive note, Nurkic can focus on being an elite defender for the Suns throughout the season.
The only downside to trading for Nurkic is his health issues over the past few seasons.
In fact, Nurkic hasn’t played more than 56 games in the last four seasons.
If he fails to stay healthy throughout the season, it will hinder the Suns’ aspirations of winning the NBA championship.
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