Cleveland Cavaliers Targeting Phoenix Suns’ P.J. Tucker In Trade

The Cleveland Cavaliers have trade interest in Phoenix Suns’ swingman P.J. Tucker.

According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports, P.J. Tucker of the Phoenix Suns is a trade target for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Gambadoro also mentions that the Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves and Atlanta Hawks have interest in Tucker. Tucker, who is a premier defender and able to knock down threes or be a low-post threat, is on the last year of his $5.3 deal and though the Phoenix Suns would like to resign him, there’s a possibility that the 31-year-old swingman would prefer to play for a contender at this stage of his career than a young team on the rise.

That is, unless the Suns are going to throw far more cash at Tucker than the next team. Because of Tucker’s age, the young talent that’s already on the roster, the depth at Tucker’s position and the players they can add in free agency, Tucker is unlikely to be at the very top of the Suns’ list of offseason priorities.

Gambadoro believes that because Tucker, who is averaging 6.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, has a skillset the other Suns’ wings don’t have, there’s no chance for Tucker to be moved without a first-round draft pick (or a young asset). With the price Cleveland paid to pry 35-year-old Kyle Korver away from the Atlanta Hawks, that’s likely true.

So would the Cavs do it?

They were unwilling to move Cedi Osman, who is only 21 years old and starring in the Euroleague as a two-way player, in the Korver deal, Nonetheless, it’s likely that they already felt they were giving up too much. After all, they had already agreed to send a shooter in Mike Dunleavy Jr., who was finding his groove after an early season funk and a first-round pick.

General manager David Griffin (who worked within the Phoenix Suns’ organization for seven years) may be willing to move Osman for a gritty, defensive-minded player such as Tucker. If the Suns would be willing to add Osman, who has already shown tremendous potential as a 3-and-D player to their young core, Tucker may soon be a Cav.

A write-up on Tucker’s strengths can be found here. He’s not the backup point guard that the Cavs have been coveting but he is a playmaker, on both ends of the court.

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Would you want P.J. Tucker on the Cleveland Cavaliers? Let us know in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.