Goran Dragic's days in Phoenix appear to be numbered. The Suns point guard has informed management that he "has no plans to re-sign in Phoenix this summer," according to Sam Amick of USA Today. This is the case even if Phoenix moves fellow point guard Isaiah Thomas, according to Amick.
Goran Dragic reportedly wants out of Phoenix
The Suns point guard, who will be a free agent in the offseason, reportedly has no interest in re-signing with the Suns.
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Dragic has a $7.5 million player option for next season, but it was always assumed that he would choose to become an unrestricted free agent instead. With Thursday’s trade deadline looming, the Suns must now decide whether to trade Dragic or risk losing him in the offseason for nothing. They’ve informed Dragic’s representatives that they plan on pursuing the former option and will try to trade him, according to Real GM’s Shams Charania. ESPN’s Marc Stein is also reporting that Dragic getting traded before Thursday’s deadline is now “regarded as the likely scenario.”
Agent Bill Duffy has provided the Suns a list of teams that Dragic would like to be traded to, which includes the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and New York Knicks, according to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Houston Rockets -- Dragic's former team and one many thought would pursue him if he were to become available -- are not likely to be a possible desitnation, according to Stein.
SB Nation presents: Awesome NBA trades that SHOULD happen, but never will.
Phoenix is currently 29-25 and in possession of the Western Conference's final playoff spot. The 28-year-old Dragic is averaging 16.2 points, 4.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game this season while shooting 50 percent from the field. But he has not played as well as last season, when the Suns won 48 games. The addition of Thomas and the continued rise of Eric Bledsoe has forced Dragic to accept a secondary role, which he has not enjoyed. Per Amick:
The main issue, according to one of the people, is that Dragic wants to run his own team with the kind of freedom and support given to someone like Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. The decrease in production this season, as he sees it, is directly tied to the decrease in time spent as the lead-guard with the host of ballhandlers that surround him. Dragic is averaging 16.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 33.4 minutes per game this season.
There might be some teams around the league interested in handing Dragic the role he wants. But given his contract status, trading for Dragic before the deadline would be a risk, though any team that does acquire him would also get his Bird rights, meaning it could offer him a five-year deal in July.
If no team deals for him Dragic will look to sign a four-year max contract with either the Lakers or Knicks in the offseason, according to Stein.
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