The Phoenix Suns made the biggest splash of the 2023 trade deadline when they acquired superstar Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets. Though the Suns now have three established stars on their roster, it looks like they may be interested in adding another ball-handler.
NBA insider Chris Haynes thinks that veteran guard John Wall makes some sense for Phoenix.
Wall spent the first portion of the 2022-23 NBA season with the Los Angeles Clippers. Prior to the trade deadline, he was sent to the Houston Rockets in a three-team trade. He was waived by the Rockets shortly after.
“Phoenix, they’re still looking for another ball-handler,” Haynes said. “And so if the Derrick Rose situation doesn’t play out, which looks like it most likely won’t, then they have to look at other guys out there. And you look at the buyout market, the only other prominent guard that has ball-handling skills and obligations is John Wall, and we’re not hearing much on him as of right now.”
Wall was once considered to be one of the best point guards in the entire NBA. That is, of course, no longer the case. He’s dealt with some tough injuries in recent years. Those injuries have taken their toll, and Wall’s peak playing days are definitely behind him.
However, it is not as though he can’t contribute. He put up solid numbers in 34 appearances for the Clippers this season despite the fact that he came off the bench in all but three of those games.
With the Clippers, Wall posted averages of 11.4 points, 5.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. If he were to join the Suns, he would surely come off the bench with them as well.
Chris Paul is still seen as the primary ball-handler for the Suns. His fellow backcourt mate Devin Booker also requires the ball in his hands often so that he can play his best ball.
The Suns are 1-1 since returning from the All-Star break. They figure to win a lot of games down the stretch despite the fact that the players on their roster will have to quickly adjust once Durant joins the lineup. At the moment, the Suns are the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with just a half-game lead over the Clippers.
Things are incredibly tight in the West right now, and Phoenix will have to keep winning at a consistent rate if it wants any hope of getting home-court advantage in the early portion of the playoffs.
