While guys such as Jimmy Butler are interested in joining the Sixers, opposing teams are trying to pry their players away.
According to a report from The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey, the Phoenix Suns were rebuffed in an attempt to trade for T.J. McConnell in recent weeks. The Suns offered a second-round pick for the reserve guard’s services.
This comes nearly one year after the Sixers declined the Cleveland Cavaliers’ trade offer for McConnell.
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The Suns have been searching for a point guard to pair with dynamic scorer Devin Booker for quite some time now. They ended up reaching a one-year deal with 38-year-old Jamal Crawford on Monday to help out their backcourt.
While the Suns’ PG desperation has been apparent around the league for some time now, this also says a lot about McConnell. The undrafted guard has scrapped and clawed for everything he’s earned in the NBA and is now getting recognized.
Even with career averages of 6.3 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds, McConnell’s impact on the game goes far beyond the box score. He’s a hustler at all times and a solid table setter as the lead guard.
All of those characteristics will come in handy next offseason when the 26-year-old becomes an unrestricted free agent. After the Sixers picked up his team option for 2018-19 at $1.6 million, McConnell should expect to have some more lucrative offers to come his way.
NBA
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