The Phoenix Suns reportedly aren’t willing to include Josh Jackson, the No. 4 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, in any potential trade for Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving. But that won’t stop Cavs superstar LeBron James from trying to gauge the availability of the former Kansas star.
“LeBron James is doing some LeBron James offseason work. And my understanding is it’s not just Derrick Rose. It’s not just Eric Bledsoe,” ESPN’s Pablo Torre said Thursday on “First Take.”
“…LeBron James is hustling behind the scenes, is my understanding, asking ‘Is Josh Jackson available for Kyrie Irving?’ And the answer back that I heard is ‘no, he is not.’ But, LeBron James is hustling on behalf of the Cleveland Cavaliers, at least for this one year.”
Jackson is a potential two-way star, and outside of talented shooting guard Devin Booker, he’s the most intriguing trade asset on the Suns’ roster.
Irving’s trade request was first reported last Friday, and he reportedly prefers a move to the Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks or Miami Heat.
The Suns aren’t listed, but they are a natural fit in a possible Irving trade. Phoenix has lots of assets and a point guard in Bledsoe who’d be a good basketball fit on the Cavs, plus he’s represented by James’ longtime friend Rich Paul at Klutch Sports.
If the Cavs could acquire Bledsoe and Jackson in a deal for Irving, they could still compete for an Eastern Conference title next season and be set up for the future with a promising swingman. Irving alone probably wouldn’t be enough to net that kind of return, though, but we’ve seen teams make dumb deals of late.
Remember the Paul George trade?
Thumbnail photo via Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Images
