GAMBO

Trading Marcin Gortat to Wizards is exactly what the Phoenix Suns needed to do

Oct 25, 2013, 11:30 PM | Updated: Oct 26, 2013, 1:08 am

The most exciting day for the Phoenix Suns over the next year will be June 26th — the day of the 2014 NBA Draft.

With the recent trade that sent Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown, Kendall Marshall and Malcolm Lee to the Washington Wizards for Emeka Okafor and a protected first-round pick, the Suns have a chance to have four, yes four first-round picks next June. They will have their own pick, which should easily be top-five, they will have the Indiana Pacers’ pick from the Luis Scola trade, they will have the Wizards’ pick protected to 12 and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ pick protected to 13. So if Washington and Minnesota have decent years and make the playoffs, Phoenix will own first round, and I mean own it.

This is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Suns. Cap space going forward and potentially six first-round draft picks over the next two seasons — let’s not forget they also have the Lakers’ pick unconditional in 2015. There is no better way to revamp a depleted roster and breathe some life into the organization than to get young talent. Couple those draft picks with Goran Dragic, Alex Len, Archie Goodwin and Eric Bledsoe, and the Suns could very well turn this around quickly.

Also the picks give Phoenix options. They could trade one or more of those picks for a proven veteran or two. They could use multiple picks to trade up in the draft. They could trade Okafor if he is healthy for something. Even Channing Frye could be had around the trade deadline. If Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers is the “gunslinger,” then what is new Suns GM Ryan McDonough? Boy Wonder, Ryan the Wheeler Dealer, Ryan the Trigger, McGunna, McDealin?

He has now traded Luis Scola, Jared Dudley, Gortat, Marshall, Brown, Lee and Caron Butler and cut Michael Beasley. He has gotten rid of the dead weight and positioned the organization to be relevant in future years. There will be a lot of losses this year. A lot. This team may only win 20 games. But that’s OK Suns fans, because Christmas will come early in 2014 — June 26th, to be exact.

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Trading Marcin Gortat to Wizards is exactly what the Phoenix Suns needed to do