Best Trades in Suns History: Fan’s Take

The Phoenix Suns have a history of wheeling and dealing. Here’s a look at the five best trades in team history.

5. Suns get Pat Garrity, Martin Muursepp, Bubba Wells, and a draft pick from Dallas for Steve Nash (1998)

This should actually read, “Suns get Shawn Marion for Steve Nash,” which still may not sound too amazing, but considering the Suns eventually got Nash back during his best years, this turned out to be a pretty solid exchange.

Matrix was a four-time All-Star in Phoenix, and he played a major role in Mike D’Antoni’s “Seven Seconds or Less” system.

4. Suns get Jason Kidd from Dallas for Michael Finley, Sam Cassell, and A.C. Green (1996)

Phoenix had to give up three quality players for Kidd, but the ’94-95 Rookie of the Year proved to be worth it. In fact, Kidd escorted the Suns to the playoffs in all five of his seasons with the team.

3. Suns get Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Maciej Lampe, draft rights to Milos Vujanic, and two draft picks from New York for Stephon Marbury, Anfernee Hardaway, and Cezary Trybanski (2004)

The players Phoenix acquired didn’t do much following the swap, but neither did the ones they gave up, and by dumping Marbury’s and Hardaway’s salaries, team officials were able to sign Steve Nash the following off-season.

Nash, of course, sparked a new era of basketball in Phoenix — one in which he collected two MVP awards and ran one of the most exciting offenses in league history.

2. Suns get Kevin Johnson, Mark West, Tyrone Corbin, and two draft picks from Cleveland for Larry Nance, Mike Sanders, and a first round pick (1988)

As a Cavalier, Nance was named an All-Star twice. But KJ became a Suns legend.

During his 12 seasons in purple and orange, No. 7 averaged 18.7 points and 9.8 assists per game. And with his help, the Suns went from 54 losses in ’87-88 to 55 wins the next season.

What made this trade even better for Phoenix is the fact that the Suns used one of the Cleveland picks on Thunder Dan Majerle, another Phoenix favorite.

1. Suns get Charles Barkley from Philadelphia for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry, and Andrew Lang (1992)

Although Hornacek stockpiled some solid seasons with Karl Malone and John Stockton in Utah, he never regained All-Star status after leaving Phoenix.

Sir Charles, on the other hand, was named to the All-Star team in all four of his seasons with the Suns and won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award in ’93. Barkley also made the Suns legitimate contenders, and during his first year in Maricopa County, he brought the Suns to the brink of a championship.

Barkley never brought a ring to the desert, but his years with the franchise will always be looked on as a high point in Suns history.

Source

Suns History, NBA.com


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