The Heat are willing to part with Goran Dragic, and he may be the answer for the Suns in their quest for a point guard, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 in Phoenix.
The Suns traded away presumed starter Brandon Knight this week in a deal that brought Ryan Anderson and De’Anthony Melton from the Rockets. Knight missed all of last season with an ACL tear, leaving Phoenix to try several options at the point with limited success after Eric Bledsoe was traded to Milwaukee. Isaiah Canaan is the most experienced point guard on the roster, while Melton, Shaquille Harrison and Elie Okobo are other options.
Dragic, who started his career with the Suns and later returned for two and a half productive seasons, would provide an instant solution to that problem. The 32-year-old is coming off another stellar year in Miami, posting a 17.3/4.1/4.8 line in 75 games.
With an $18.1MM salary for the upcoming season and a $19.25MM player option for 2019/20, Dragic is the third-highest-paid player on a team that is already above the tax threshold with nearly $127MM in guaranteed salary. While that might explain his availability, the Heat were the sixth seed in the East last year and are hoping for another postseason trip. It’s not clear what Phoenix could offer in return that would be enough for Miami to part with Dragic.
Gambadoro adds that the Suns understand they need to find a point guard, but won’t rush the process (Twitter link). With more than three weeks until training camp and six weeks until the season starts, they plan to take time to explore their options.
For who?
The Dragon coming home!!
Picks and Chandler
Makes no sense to trade Dragic. Offer Adebayo and Dragic for Josh Jackson. Then it would make sense, Miami could run Josh at the 3 and Winslow at the 4.
Heat arnt trading Adebayo.
If you can get Jackson you do it.
Nah jackson overated fam
Dragon badmouthed the team on the way out. Why would Suns want him back? Same management team that he forced to trade him. Let him rot in Miami.
Tyson Chandler is Phoenix backup center, and the Heat already have Hassan Whiteside. To make salaries match, T.J. Warren and Darrell Arthur for Dragic would work. Miami could waive Arthur. Phoenix would then send Okobie to the G League.
Way to go, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 in Phoenix, way to give Riley more excuses to flap his jaw and Windibut more space to write about it. No, Dragic is not moving.
Niether is Walker or Bledsoe or whoever else’s name got floated by an apparently un-imaginative rumored Macdonough search when he traded Knight.
Why not a young player moving up? What happened to rejecting Irving because he was too old?
Gambadoro named Rozier, Lilliard & Walker 2 days ago. Now Dragic. Macdonough should try BRK, MIN, LAC for starters.
Kyrie and Kevin Love both got rejected because the Suns refused to deal Josh Jackson. I agree with Paladin. The best the Suns may do cheap is Lonzo. I also agree Milwaukee’s first round pick would be enough. It was on Bleacher Report that the Suns asked for Lilliard, Walker, and Rozier. All 3 said no. Boston intends to re sign both Rozier and Kyrie.
How about Ariza and Bender or Chriss for Dragon once Trevor can be moved. Ariza is blocking Bridges and Jackson, while they have no real talent at the point. Miami gets some tax relief next year, and a young player to try to turn around from early career struggles.
Because Chriss was traded to Houston?
I never understood them signing Ariza.
Seriously, why on earth would Phoenix want Dragic? Particularly as he is paid like a star & is very very far away from being one.
Hoops Hype “speculates” 5 targets could be Spencer Dinwiddie of the Nets, Patrick Beverly of the Clippers (says the Suns are willing to take veterans now. Woj of ESPN says Anderson will start for Phoenix), George Hill (for T.J. Warren to replace LeBron), Terry Rozier (Boston won’t deal until it finds out if Kyrie is healthy), and Kemba (says Suns have wings to deal, but Boston doesn’t need one, Charlotte does. Says a deal could center around Kemba, Miles Bridges, and Josh Jackson. I don’t think Kupchak will deal Kemba. He says he is Charlotte’s future, And Kemba says he wants to start a winning culture there).
Another “speculated” on an Arizona site was T.J. Warren and Troy Daniels to Indiana for Corey Joeseph and Bojan Bogdonovich.
Amico Hoops mentions Dragic (Miami wants a 1st rounder), George Hill, Spencer Dinwiddie, Derrick Rose, Ish Smith, Matthew Dellavadova and Malcom Brogdon as point guards who could be available.
Amico Hoops also says if Sixers want to sign Jamaal Crawford, they’ll have to release Jerrod Bayless.
Malcolm Brogdon is a guy that would make a lot of sense.
Charlotte fans are fed up. If Kemba is dealt, there has to be a big name coming back to the Hornets. Devin Booker isn’t going to happen. So Josh Jackson would have to be part of the deal. Otherwise, there’ll be a full-on mutiny.
Best username I’ve seen across all 3 sites. Kudos.