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Kyrie Irving trade rumors: Suns won’t trade Jackson, who Cavs shouldn’t even want

By Dan Knitzer

PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 05: Tyler Ulis
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 05: Tyler Ulis /
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Josh Jackson is not proven enough to be a cornerstone of a potential Kyrie Irving trade. The Cavs should demand Eric Bledsoe and role players

I still don’t understand why the Phoenix Suns would want Kyrie Irving. Saddled with the bad contracts of Brandon Knight, Tyson Chandler, and Jared Dudley that don’t expire until or after Irving’s next free agency, it is hard to think they can compete in a loaded Western Conference. But the fact is, they appear to want him.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, like their conference rival Boston Celtics, find themselves in a tricky situation, trying to compete for a title while ensuring a bright – or, in Cleveland’s case, less dim – future.

The athletic but “raw and unpolished” Kansas product Josh Jackson won’t help them much this season, so why are the Cavs demanding his inclusion in a potential Eric Bledsoe-Kyrie Irving swap? There are better ways for Cleveland to build for the future while still not conceding the 2018 Larry O’Brien trophy.

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Since Jackson – along with Devin Booker – appear untouchable, the Cavaliers should demand Eric Bledsoe and at least two of the three following, in the following order of importance: Marquese Chriss; T.J. Warren; and the Miami Heat’s 2018 first round pick.

While I will admit the 24-win 2017 Suns team did not draw my attention much, their high flying young big Chriss threw down some nasty dunks. He was named to the NBA’s 2nd Team All-Rookie, and his PER of 12.3 was 2nd highest on that team, behind only 2017-Jeremy-Lin-feel-good-story Yogi Ferrell.

Chriss appears to have a higher floor than Jackson in the immediate future, and probably a comparable ceiling. At 6-foot-10, he adds backcourt depth in the event that a Kevin Love trade ever comes to fruition. With three years left on his rookie scale contract, Chriss provides the Cavaliers much needed cap relief.

T.J. Warren doesn’t appear to have as boundless a ceiling, having only shot 26.5 percent from 3-point range last season, but his PER of over 15 each of the past two seasons suggest that – and other facets of his game – could improve on a non-lottery team. For a Cavs team whose second best wing by PER was Kyle Korver (13.5), T.J. Warren would appear to be a positive addition.

His restricted free agency next summer makes him less appealing, but in the event LeBron James leaves Cleveland again they would want a 6-foot-8 small forward with an above average PER already integrated into the team. And, because of Phoenix’s aforementioned bad contracts, it is unlikely they would be willing to give Warren a notable raise in his free agency next summer, making him the more likely player to be traded.

Needless to say, the 2018 Miami first-round pick is the least appealing asset in this bundle, considering Miami is almost certain to be a playoff team in the barren east. Still, a pick in the late teens or even early twenties might prove more valuable than Dragan Bender, who posted a PER of 5.3 in his rookie year, and played only 13 minutes per game on a 24 win team – suggesting he wouldn’t scratch the 2018 Cavaliers’ regular season rotation, let alone playoff rotation.

Frankly, the Cavaliers should take his purported availability in a package deal as an insult.

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It is clear most insiders agree it would be to the Cavaliers’ detriment to start the season with a disgruntled Kyrie Irving on the roster. Eric Bledose’s superior defense, plus the addition of one or two good role players in Chriss and/or Warren, would change the complexion of the Cavaliers in 2018 and moving forward. I believe for the better. Let’s hope the GMs who matter agree.

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