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3 key moves the Phoenix Suns need to make at the NBA Trade Deadline 

The Phoenix Suns are 25-18, winners of six in a row, and finally making good on their preseason promise. These are three key moves they need to make at the trade deadline to seal the deal.

By N.B. Lindberg

Charlotte Hornets v Phoenix Suns
Charlotte Hornets v Phoenix Suns / Christian Petersen/GettyImages
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2. Sign Kyle Lowry to solve their point guard problem

The Suns won’t be trading for Kyle Lowry, but neither will any other team, which makes him a perfect fit for the asset-depleted Suns. Lowry is on a $29.7 million expiring contract and was just traded from the Miami Heat to the Charlotte Hornets as part of the Terry Rozier deal. Lowry is only tradable as a large expiring contract, and the Hornets are not in the market to make such a trade. In all likelihood, Lowry will be bought out and allowed to pick his next landing spot via the buyout market. 

Lowry has been through the playoff gauntlet countless times and has a championship already to his name. Every contender should be interested in his services, but the Suns offer him an excellent chance at another ring and an important role. 

The Suns need 15 to 20 minutes a night of competent point guard play, and Lowry, on a minimum deal, is perfectly suited to the task. He’s averaging 28 minutes, 8.2 points, 4.0 assists, and only 1.4 turnovers per game this season. At this stage of his career, he’s a game manager on offense, but that’s all the Suns need right now. Their 16.7 turnover rate with Booker on the bench will cost them against good teams in the playoff, and Lowry is perfectly capable of bringing that figure down to a non-disastrous level. 

Depending on how Lowry is performing, the Suns could also experiment with lineups where he plays point guard next to one or both of Beal and Booker. He may not have it in him to play extended stretches against starters, but that glimmer of upside makes him a tad more appealing. 

Lowry has lost a step defensively, but he’s still elite at drawing charges. His 20 offensive fouls drawn is 10th in the league, and if he’s only asked to play 10 to 15 minutes in the playoffs, he should still be able to muster some moments. Lowry isn’t the player he once was, but the Suns just need the player he is. Which is a steady veteran point guard who can make the most of his limited physical traits on the defensive end. 

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