Who’s the Suns’ top trade piece after Devin Booker?

Ryan Dunn’s trade value may be higher than you think.

With the Phoenix Suns being in the heat of trade discussions all offseason, specific names associated with the team have been mentioned in rumors left and right. Even with all that going on, though, there are certain players this team would not trade. There are also players on this team that others across the league do not see the value for. Hence, the stalling out of the Suns in all of their transactions this offseason.

The Durant traded lingered for weeks until they both found an agreement, even if it was not the best offer for the Suns. They could not find a Bradley Beal, and now with Jonathan Kuminga, the offer is not what the Warriors want.

Of course it is not, because the players the Suns are offering either have no value to the Warriors or hold more value to our team. So that leads to the question of who has the most trade value? I think it is Ryan Dunn, the sophomore who has showcased a lot so far and can be helpful for a plethora of teams now and for the future.

Why is It Ryan Dunn?

For many reasons, I would think it would be Dunn.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Age

The first would be looking at his age and comparing that to the role he can bring. Dunn, as the 29th overall pick in the 2024 draft, was viewed as a sleeper this season. Since he was not prominently known for the offensive side of things, his stock seemingly fell, but the Suns saw the value in the wing and transformed him to have a positive outlook.

The 22-year-old in his rookie season impressed in just a limited role. Many fans, including myself, thought he would see little to no minutes, but he then carved himself out a role in this rotation. He showed that not only was he one of the best defenders on the roster, but he was also someone who could hit the open three.

Now, his three-point shot was very streaky this season. Still, for a rookie who had shooting issues, he seemed to look brighter than when he was selected. Despite Mike Budenholzer giving him wild rotations, with nights seeing Dunn in the starting lineup to him being taken out of games entirely, his ability to grow was hindered. That being said, he still performed well, averaging 6.9 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 43% from the field and 31% from three in 19 minutes.

Dunn illustrated last year that he could be that solid defender, and it is something this team lacked heavily in their rotation. This year, after a solid summer league, he is only looking to get better and become a more integral part of this rotation.

Type of player

Since Dunn is a defensive first player, his value around the league on competing teams has increased. The lack of players who have his skill set and with his ability makes him a hot commodity around the league.

With the Suns not having many of those players, it makes sense why they would want to keep him. Newly hired head coach Jordan Ott has also stated that this roster will play with more energy, hustle, and intensity. I can only estimate that Dunn will be a part of that group alongside Dillon Brooks to lead them.

Dunn’s ability to be a credible on-ball defender with his size and length brings intrigue from outsiders. His connectivity for a unit that can utilize him as their primary defender would be loved for now and for the future. Hence why the Suns want to keep him.

From looking at contending teams in the past, like the Oklahoma City Thunder, they did this last season. When they needed additional defenders, they went and got Alex Caruso with Isaiah Hartenstein. Other teams would like to take a player like Dunn and do the same, but the Suns have stayed put on not doing so.

Is there anyone to argue this against?

To me, it seems there is no one else who can compare. Besides Devin Booker, who is not in this discussion, as the Suns have stated they are not moving him and just did the recent extension. By looking at the rest of the roster, even if Dunn is unavailable for Kuminga, he could present himself as available for another star player.

Jalen Green does not have the highest trade value, or I believe the Suns would have moved him already for a better fit.

Dillon Brooks, as a defender, has value, but with Dunn being on a rookie deal, he would seemingly have more even if he has not been as impactful yet.

Khaman Maluach could have the highest, but he has yet to play a game compared to Dunn, so I feel that hinders how teams would view him.

Mark Williams was just traded for two low-value firsts. You could say maybe he is worth more than Dunn, but I find that hard to believe with Williams’ injury history.

Oso Ighodaro could be the one who maybe rivals him the closest. As he already played and shone in the summer league, his name could bring value. Ultimately, with his ability to be a bit more limited on offense with his shooting, it seems to me that Dunn has more.

Final Thoughts

Even though Gambo has stated he is not being viewed in a trade for Kuminga, I do think he could be traded down the line.

With the Suns already having the contracts to get Kuminga too, it shows the value of Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and Nick Richards is not as high around the league, as it is compared to SUns fans.

This leads me to believe still that Dunn has the highest value on the team as others across the league want him, have wanted him, and are signaling too. The question is, will the Suns pull that trigger similar to how they did with Toumani Camara, or are they willing to wait and have him develop?

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