Despite making a game-changer move at the 2023 NBA trade deadline, the Phoenix Suns are still looking to improve the roster long-term, and that could include a couple of younger All-Stars to replace future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul.
The Phoenix Suns shook up the entire NBA landscape when they acquired 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant in a blockbuster deal before the Feb. 9 trade deadline. The move instantly makes the Suns a serious contender to reach the NBA Finals from the Western Conference this season.
However, Phoenix is far from a finished product even with a pair of elite scorers in Durant and Devin Booker leading the team. Three months removed from turning 38, point guard Chris Paul is having another down season in his continued age-related decline. Improving the position was something the team attempted to do at the deadline even before Durant became available.
Related: Phoenix Suns in championship or bust mode following Kevin Durant trade
If the Phoenix Suns don’t win an NBA championship in 2023 with their current roster, a new report claims the franchise will pursue one of two All-Star guards to replace Paul, and one of them is a former teammate of Durant’s.
Phoenix Suns could target Kyrie Irving or Fred VanVleet in NBA free agency
On Tuesday, Yahoo Sports NBA insider Jake Fischer revealed that not only did the Phoenix Suns try to land a trade for Kyrie Irving after he formally requested an escape from Brooklyn, but there were also “rumblings around the league that Phoenix was hoping to somehow land both Irving and Durant” before the NBA trade deadline.
- Chris Paul stats (2022-2023): 13.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 8.7 APG, 1.5 SPG, 38% 3PT
Fischer claims a pursuit of Irving this summer is a strong possibility since the Dallas Mavericks have decided to hold off on contract talks with the impending free agent until after the season.
However, Irving is not the only All-Star point guard the Phoenix Suns have on their radar. The team called all over the league this month in search of a star point guard for the stretch run and playoffs, and Fischer reports that sources around the league believe the organization will make a hard push for Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet if he reaches free agency this summer.
Chris Paul is signed for two more seasons at just over $30 million annually (via Spotrac). But, both years are partially guaranteed, and he could be a part of a trade where he is moved and then bought out by his next team.