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Per NBA insider Marc Stein, formerly of ESPN and the New York Times, the Phoenix Suns have an interest in acquiring Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell.
“The Suns remain interested in trading for Indiana’s T.J. McConnell, league sources say,” Stein wrote vis his Substack account.
However, despite the Suns having a reported interest in the Pacers guard, the insider says the feeling is not mutual. McConnell prefers to stay with an Indiana Pacers roster that is knocking on the door of becoming a playoff team, and could one day be a legit contender in the Eastern Conference.
“Word is McConnell, furthermore, is hopeful of staying with the Pacers,” Stein added.
Suns Still Looking To Improve Their Roster
Multiple reports have confirmed that Suns general manager James Jones is still on the hunt to add players as the team prepares to enter training camp this fall. The front office has shown a firm willingness to build a contender no matter the cost. They made a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant at the NBA trade deadline in February and another trade in June that landed them three-time All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal.
They also have been linked to other stars this summer such as Kyrie Irving, who ended up resigning with the Dallas Mavericks on a 3-year, $120 million deal, and James Harden who is currently seeking a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers.
Phoenix has gradually become a desirable destination. As a result, they have been able to land other solid role players such as Eric Gordon and Yutawatanabe at a fraction of the cost. The pay cut is worth the opportunity to contend for a championship for some players.
Bradley Beal Sounds off on Trade to Suns
Adding Durant to their roster turned the Suns into a contending team. But after adding Beal to that group this summer, they could be a potential unstoppable force. It will be unfamiliar territory for the star guard as he has not enjoyed much playoff success throughout his career. But Beal is excited about the opportunity nonetheless.
“It feels like I got drafted all over again,” Beal said in a recent interview with SLAM magazine.
“I got drafted on my birthday at the age of 19 in 2012. And then here you go, fast forward 11 years later, the age of 30. I’m with a new team. It is definitely coming full circle. Feels surreal in some ways, but I’m definitely excited for this new journey.”
But even as excited as he is to start his new journey with the Suns the former Washington Wizards star says it was not easy to say goodbye to the franchise that drafted him.
“It was tough to have those conversations [and say] goodbye, but it was also encouraging. Everybody gets a chance to continue to move forward,” Beal said of his departure from the Wizards in June.
“ Some guys get bigger opportunities and bigger roles in DC, which [will] be great for them. And now I have a bigger and better opportunity in front of me, too.”
With the opportunity to win a championship, it will be interesting to see if Beal and the Suns can get the job done this season.
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