PJ Tucker is not built or have the size and skill set of your traditional NBA player. He is 6’5″, built like a mack truck and is most effective playing the power forward position on offense and bruising opponents.
He is also quietly one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA with his strength, lateral quickness, basketball I.Q. and just plain desire and effort.
After spending the first few years of his professional playing career overseas because of his traditional deficiencies for an NBA player, he has now earned his way as a valued role player and spot starter for the Phoenix Suns
Tucker is only averaging 6.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 27 minutes per game, but he is the sort of leader and glue guy that every team needs.
This is why he is garnering a ton of trade interest on the market from teams such as the Cavaliers, Clippers, Hawks and Timberwolves.
The Clippers, Cavs, Bulls, Timberwolves and Hawks are interested in acquiring PJ Tucker according to @Gambo987. pic.twitter.com/ARzgaIkHBl
— Inside the Sun (@_insidethesun) January 18, 2017
Tucker’s value is still obvious even to a struggling and clearly rebuilding Suns team. His affect on the development of rising star Devin Booker has been evident according to Suns head coach Earl Watson.
Here are some comments from Watson earlier this week from a story on Arizona Sports.com:
There is one other thing that has changed with Booker, according to his head coach, and it has nothing to do with time. In practice, Booker has been matched up against veteran P.J. Tucker, one of the Suns’ best defensive players.
“They have this ultra-competitive nature, those two. One is more offensive than the other. The other is obviously defense,” Watson said. “Ever since we made a lineup change and we scrimmage in practice, P.J. somehow ends up on Devin.
“Imagine P.J. Tucker without any referees. That’s what Devin Booker gets every practice. And we don’t stop it, because I understand for Devin to get to that next point, he has to face some like when (Michael) Jordan faced ‘The Bad Boys’ when they constantly put him down, constantly defended him with aggression and eventually, he overcame that physically.”
Watson explained that when Booker gets into a game, he’s not seeing the same level of physicality he sees from Tucker during every practice session.
“You look at the timeline when we did it and made the lineup change, it’s almost identical to when Devin’s game has been taken to another level,” Watson said.
Murmurs in the Suns front office are that they not only are considering not trading him before the deadline, but extending him in the off-season and having him along for the ride as the Suns continue to rebuild and change their culture.
If one of the aforementioned teams is willing or able to offer a first round pick or a young player, I have a feeling the Suns stance could change.
