P.J. Tucker (Photo : Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors could be interested in trading for Phoenix Suns forward P.J. Tucker, with the Dubs still in the market for a defensive big man.
Despite the Warriors' infamous "Death Lineup," the team still have plenty of holes to fill heading into the February 23 trade deadline. One of the needs Golden State must address is the lack of a wing defender to stop opposing team's go-to-scorers at the said position.
According to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, the Warriors could get their way around the league of finding such player in spite of the team's very limited trade assets.
"Even though the league perhaps values this player type now more than ever, Golden State has made a habit of finding off-the-radar versatile defenders. From Kent Bazemore to Justin Holiday to Brandon Rush, the Warriors have filled this void without breaking the bank before," Buckley wrote.
While the Warriors may have a chance of getting a versatile defender, there are very few players with such skills who are available on the market. But Suns forward P.J. Tucker could be a viable option for the Warriors.
John Gambadoro of the Arizona Sports reported last month that Tucker has garnered plenty of interest from contending teams like the Bulls, Cavs and Clippers. Tucker, who is only averaging 7.0 points a game, isn't an offensive player, but he is one of the most underrated lockdown defenders in the league and should come in handy for the Warriors' potential Finals battle against Cleveland.
Tucker is on an expiring contract, which makes him a likely trade candidate for the Suns. While it remains to be seen whether Phoenix would consider parting ways with the 30-year-old forward, the Suns may not get a valuable return for Tucker, according to Dan Favale of Bleacher Report.
"As an expiring contract on the wrong side of 30, Tucker won't net the Suns anything or anyone more. His value will only go down as the trade deadline approaches and the window of opportunity for his next team to evaluate him narrows," Favale wrote.
If this is really the case for the Suns, it is a great opportunity for the Warriors to further improve their lineup without giving up much. Players like Patrick McCaw, Ian Clark, James Michael McAdoo and Kevon Looney should entice the Suns to explore sending Tucker to the Bay Area. If the Warriors could get this deal done, expect them to see them in the NBA Finals for the third-straight year.
Video courtesy: YouTube/DownToBuck
For more of the latest NBA trade rumors, follow @hoopsdontstop30 on Twitter.
