As the NBA season creeps closer, the signs appear to point to the Phoenix Suns trading swingman Gerald Green. A recent report from Sports Illustrated suggested Green is the most likely candidate in Phoenix to be dealt before the February trade deadline.
Rob Mahoney of Sports Illustrated is the latest writer who believes Green will be in another team's uniform before the trade deadline.
Per Mahoney:
"Of those three (Green and forwards P.J. Tucker and Marcus Morris) Green makes the most sensible trade chip. His flair for offense is both an attractive selling point on the market and a point of redundancy now that Phoenix has acquired Thomas.
"His reasonable, expiring salary makes Green a low-risk get for a team looking to shore up its bench. Phoenix has been good for Green and its spread offense restorative to his career. It may soon be time to move on, though, if for no other reason than Phoenix can both replace his production and fill his minutes."
A couple factors have many thinking Green is on the trade block. One, Green is on an expiring contract; two, Phoenix has a crowded has three guards - Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas - who will be vying for playing time and three, Green's strong performance last season makes him a valuable asset for Phoenix.
Green would be particularly attractive for a team who needs a wing player to stretch defenses. The Chicago Bulls, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets immediately come to mind as three teams who could be in the market for Green.
Until last season, when the 28-year-old had a breakout season to the tune of 15.8 points per game, Green was a journeyman far down a team's rotation. He did flourish in Phoenix's offense, and as Mahoney pointed out, his expiring contract makes him a low-risk for a team to acquire.
The question is how much will Phoenix charge for him.
