NBA Trade Deadline: Phoenix Suns Owner Rebukes Goran Dragic’s Trade Conditions
By Tony Fischer
It is really getting hot for the Phoenix Suns at the trade deadline but for all the wrong reasons. Instead of trying to improve their team for a playoff run, Suns GM Ryan McDonough is trying to reverse the tragic circumstances started by his star point guard two days ago. On Tuesday Goran Dragic’s agent informed the Suns that his client would not sign an extension with the team this offseason starting a frenzy of accusations and deadline dealing.
Read Related Post: Goran Dragic Wants Out Of Pheonix
Dragic’s dissatisfaction with the team and preferred list of trade partners has spilled over into the media and on twitter and painting the Suns into a corner and limting their trade options. According to a tweet by NBA Insider Chris Broussard, Suns owner Robert Sarver is said to be refusing to honor the conditions of Dragic’s request.
Source says "no way" Dragic signs long-term deal with Indy, Hou, Bos, Sac or any other team not on wish list he gave Suns (MIA, LAL, NYK)
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) February 19, 2015
League execs say angered Suns owner Rob Sarver refusing to accommodate Dragic's trade request. Bluff or real? We'll know is less than 8 hrs
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) February 19, 2015
Source says Miami offering two future 1st round picks for Dragic....but as of now, Sarver still being stubborn
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) February 19, 2015
It is easy to understand why Sarver would feel betrayed by his star point guard. According to an article by Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowksi, Sarver has a long-standing relationship with Dragic’s agent. That relationship has soured over the last 48 hours.
"Suns owner Robert Sarver and his management staff, Lon Babby and Ryan McDonough, felt blindsided by the trade request on Tuesday night within two days of the deadline, league sources said. Sarver has had a long relationship with Dragic’s agent, Bill Duffy, which included a successful partnership with Steve Nash. There’s a tremendous amount of acrimony because of Dragic’s timing of telling management he wouldn’t sign an extension. It has left the Suns scrambling, with little time to cobble a deal together."
The timing of the announcement was definitely a power play for Dragic who clearly wants to force a trade to a team he would prefer to play for next season. We won’t have to wait long to see how the Dragic drama will play out. The NBA Trade Deadline is today at 3 pm.