The Suns are playing better than anybody wanted to admit a month ago. They’re 24-15 and sitting sixth in the West, and the vibes look way different than “panic trade” season. They’ve won nine of their last 11 games, they’re bombing threes every night, and they just smoked the Wizards while barely needing heavy minutes from the starters.
With the deadline set for Feb. 5, the whole question is simple: do they keep riding the hot stretch, or do they cash in and get a real playoff-level point guard?
The complication is the backcourt situation. Jalen Green is currently out, and that’s one less downhill creator to take pressure off Devin Booker. Right now, the “table-setter” next to Booker is Collin Gillespie, and to be fair, he’s been productive: 13.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists.
But if you’re trying to win real playoff games, you can feel the ceiling. Booker is still the engine (25.0 points and 6.7 assists), but asking him to be the whole offense every night is how legs die in April.
The scary part for the league is Booker and Dillon Brooks cooking at the same time. Booker’s steady at star volume, and Brooks is giving the Suns a legit second punch at 21.2 points per game. Add in the fact that the Suns have been on a mini heater, and you can see why a front office would talk itself into one more upgrade, especially at point guard.
So yeah, the Suns don’t need “a guard.” They need a real playoff initiator. Here’s the first name that instantly changes everything.
1. Ja Morant
Potential Trade Idea
Phoenix Suns Receive: Ja Morant, 2027 first-round pick
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Jalen Green, Nick Richards, 2027 first-round pick (via Jazz), 2032 first-round pick swap rights
This is the swing that turns the Suns from “nice story” to “nobody wants this matchup.” Ja Morant is still productive when he’s on the floor: 19.0 points and 7.6 assists this season. And the timing is real, because the Grizzlies have been linked to Morant trade openness in reporting, with the deadline creeping closer and teams circling for star guards.
From the Suns side, it’s an identity play. You stop making Booker do every single “create advantage” job, you get a guard who collapses the paint by default, and you get to run an offense that doesn’t require perfection. Morant pushes tempo, forces early help, and creates the kind of rotations that make shooters rich. That matters for a roster that’s already been getting hot from deep lately.
And the money lines up in a way that makes it believable. Morant is at $39.4 million this season. Green is at a $33.6 million cap hit, and Richards is at $5.0 million, so the salary structure isn’t some fantasy math. The bigger question is risk: Green is currently listed out, so the Grizzlies would be taking on a short-term health question while also betting on the long-term upside and the picks.
Why would the Grizzlies even listen? Because their season has been rocky, they’re 17-22 and 10th in the West, and Morant has missed a huge chunk of games. If they decide they need a reset that brings back picks plus younger pieces, this is the type of offer that at least keeps the conversation alive.
Would I do it if I’m the Suns? If the goal is a real playoff run, yes. This is the kind of move that gives you an actual advantage creator every possession, so Booker can pick his spots instead of carrying the entire burden for 48 minutes.
2. Davion Mitchell
Potential Trade Idea
Phoenix Suns Receive: Davion Mitchell
Miami Heat Receive: Royce O’Neale, Jordan Goodwin, 2026 second-round pick, 2029 second-round pick
This is the “stop messing around” upgrade, the one that makes the Suns feel like a real playoff team instead of a team winging it possession-to-possession.
Davion Mitchell has legit been productive this season: 9.1 points, 7.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds, plus 1.2 steals a game, and he’s doing it on solid efficiency too, 47.4% from the field and 39.6% from three.
The fit is obvious. The Suns don’t need another “star who needs 20 shots.” They need someone who can organize the offense, survive defensively, and keep Booker from having to play point guard for 35 minutes every night. Mitchell does that. He pressures the ball like a maniac, he stays attached through screens, and he doesn’t need to hijack the game to matter.
The Heat side is where it gets clean. They’re 20-19 and eighth in the East, so they’re not tanking, but they’re also not so dominant that they can’t justify a shake-up. Royce O’Neale gives them a real wing who can play next to anybody, and he’s on a $10.1 million number this season. Jordan Goodwin is a cheap defense-first guard flyer at $2.3 million. Two seconds is the sweetener that makes it feel like an actual “value win” for them.
Money-wise, it’s realistic. Mitchell’s cap hit is $11.6 million, so you’re not trying to pull off some fantasy math.
Would I do it if I were the Suns? Yes, and I’d do it fast. This is the most realistic guard add on your whole list, and it fixes the biggest issue without blowing up the roster.
3. Russell Westbrook
Potential Trade Idea
Phoenix Suns Receive: Russell Westbrook
Sacramento Kings Receive: Jordan Goodwin, 2029 second-round pick
This is the chaos move, but it’s the fun kind of chaos, and honestly, it might be the best “cheap swing” on the board.
Russell Westbrook has been genuinely productive this season: 14.5 points, 6.9 assists, 6.5 rebounds in 39 games, with 42.1% from the field and 34.0% from three. That’s not prime Russ, but for what you’re asking him to be, it’s more than enough. He still gets paint touches on demand, he still pushes pace, and he still creates shots without needing the possession to be perfectly scripted.
The Kings are 9-30 and 14th in the West. That’s the kind of season where teams start thinking “get assets, open minutes, move veterans.” And the contract makes it extra plausible. Westbrook carries a $2.3 million cap hit, so the trade math stays simple and painless.
For the Suns, you’re not trading for Westbrook to be the closer. You’re trading for him to survive the non-Booker minutes and win you random quarters with pure force. That’s it. Let him run second units, let him attack in early offense, let him generate the first advantage so everyone else can breathe.
And yeah, you live with the turnovers. He’s at 3.3 a game. You also live with a couple of ugly jumpers. But if the price is basically Goodwin and a second, that’s a steal-tier bet for a team trying to stack wins right now.
If I’m the Suns, I do this one without overthinking it. Worst case, he annoys you. Best case, he saves your season in April when Booker sits, and the offense doesn’t die.
4. Andrew Nembhard
Potential Trade Idea
Phoenix Suns Receive: Andrew Nembhard
Indiana Pacers Receive: Grayson Allen, Mark Williams, 2027 first-round pick (via Jazz), 2029 second-round pick
This is the “adult offense” trade, the one that turns the Suns from a team that survives possessions into a team that actually controls them.
Andrew Nembhard has been cooking this season: 17.6 points and 7.0 assists a night, hitting 44.5% from the field, 36.4% from three, and 80.6% at the line. That profile matters because he isn’t just a passer, he’s a real creator who can run pick-and-roll, punish switches, and still play off Booker without stepping on toes.
The contract also screams “real player.” His 2025-26 cap hit sits at $18.1 million. That’s not filler money, that’s a guy you keep in your rotation every night.
Now look at the Pacers. They’re 8-31 and dead last in the East. When you’re that far down, you don’t need an expensive role guard; if you are on the verge of a top-3 selection on Draft night, you need roster shape.
Grayson Allen gives them shooting and legit rotation minutes, and he’s at $16.9 million. Mark Williams gives them an actual center body at $6.3 million, as the Pacers are reportedly searching for a long-term answer at the five. Plus, the first and the second give them real flexibility.
From the Suns side, this is expensive, but it’s expensive for a reason. This is a real starting-level guard solution. Nembhard gives you structure, he gives you size, and he gives you the kind of calm late-clock decision-making that wins playoff games.
Would I do it? If the Suns are serious about a run, yes. This is the cleanest “starting point guard upgrade” that isn’t superstar-tier.
5. Immanuel Quickley
Potential Trade Idea
Phoenix Suns Receive: Immanuel Quickley
Toronto Raptors Receive: Jalen Green, 2026 first-round pick (Wizards swap rights), 2029 first-round pick (Rockets swap rights)
This is the one that feels like a real deadline headline, because Immanuel Quickley is good enough to swing a playoff matchup, and he fits next to Booker like it was designed in a lab.
Quickley is putting up 16.5 points, 6.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds this season, with 42.3% from the field, 35.3% from three on 7.1 attempts, and 79.1% at the line. That’s the modern guard template: handle, pull-up shooting, off-ball shooting, quick decisions. He doesn’t need to dominate usage to matter, which is exactly what you want next to a star scorer.
Contract-wise, he’s at $32.5 million, so this is a real swing, not a bargain bin move. That’s why the return has to be serious, and why Green makes sense as the centerpiece. Green’s cap hit sits around $33.6 million, so the salary structure stays believable.
Here’s the part that makes this feel less “random fantasy”: there’s been reporting that the Raptors previously built a Trae Young offer around Quickley and draft capital, which tells you teams have at least discussed him as a major trade piece before. And the Raptors are 24-16, fourth in the East, so they’re not forced into anything, but they can absolutely justify a “re-balance the roster” move if they think it raises their ceiling.
For the Suns, I love it. Quickley gives you a second handler who can beat pressure, pull bigs up, and punish teams for trapping Booker. You get to keep Booker in his scorer comfort zone more often, and you stop asking your offense to survive on tough shots every single night.
Would I bet on this actually happening? It’s the toughest to pull off, but if the Suns want the biggest talent jump without going full nuclear, Quickley is the one I’d push hardest for.
Final Thoughts
If the Suns want the cleanest path to getting better without making the whole roster feel different overnight, Mitchell is the move. It’s the kind of deadline add you barely notice in February, then you’re grateful for every single possession in April.
If they’re willing to pay real money and real assets for an actual long-term answer, Nembhard is the best “serious basketball” bet. That’s the one that makes the Suns feel organized for the first time all season, and that stuff wins close games when the pace slows down.
Quickley is the high-upside swing that also keeps the roster modern. If that door even cracks open, the Suns should be the team sprinting through it, because he raises your margin for error without forcing a stylistic overhaul.
Westbrook is the bargain roulette chip. It can get messy, but it can also flip the energy of a series the moment a bench unit goes flat. For that price, you take the gamble and figure out the minute management later.
Morant is the “stop being polite” option. If the Suns are truly in win-now mode, that’s the one that changes how opponents scout you. It’s also the one that can either make you terrifying or make you regret the receipts for years.
