Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
The Phoenix Suns made a huge splash prior to the trade deadline earlier this month when they traded a handful of players and picks for Kevin Durant. Now, former NBA player Jamal Crawford thinks the Suns should consider kicking the tires on veterans like Carmelo Anthony and Isaiah Thomas.
“Will Carmelo get a flier now with Phoenix?” Crawford asked. “Does a guy like Isaiah Thomas get a flier with spacing? … The good thing I love about it is it’s so open. Every team believes they can win it.”
It would be interesting if the Suns were to sign either one of those former stars. The two have been in and out of the league in recent years, and it seems like the consensus is that both players are over the hill.
However, it is quite possible that they’d be serviceable if given the right opportunities. The question for the Suns really is whether or not they feel they have the necessary players on their roster to help the team succeed in the playoffs.
With the addition of Durant, the Suns sent a clear message that they are going for an NBA championship now. They likely know that time is running out on Chris Paul’s career, and they seem determined to capitalize.
The Suns were two wins away from an NBA championship in 2021, but they failed to even advance to the Western Conference Finals last season. It’s no mystery why some believe they will manage to get over that hump this season.
As for Anthony and Thomas, both players were phenomenal during their prime years.
Last season, Anthony averaged 13.3 points and 4.2 boards per game on 44.1 percent shooting from the field and 37.5 percent shooting from deep.
Thomas played for three different teams last season and averaged 8.4 points per game on 40.1 percent shooting from the field and 33.7 percent shooting from deep.
Though the two veterans obviously don’t have what it takes to be top options in the NBA anymore, they may have enough left in their tanks to help a team at this point in the season. That is especially true for the Suns because they gave up some key depth pieces in the Durant trade.
Only time will tell if the Suns make a move for one of these veterans or perhaps another player who is currently up for grabs.
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