With the Phoenix Suns exceeding expectations early on, it would be smart for them to stay put. Sitting currently seventh in the West, this team is 13-9 and still has a significant piece out in Jalen Green. Not to mention the rise of role players like Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, Collin Gillespie, and Royce O’Neale. Having them be so influential has been key to their success.

Still, trade season does not stop around the NBA, and as we can see from Bleacher Report’s latest mock trade, the Phoenix Suns are involved.

In this trade, the Suns would receive Julius Randle from the Minnesota Timberwolves and, in return, trade Jalen Green to the Los Angeles Clippers. This very trade would shake up the Western Conference landscape and hurt this Suns team in many ways.

1. We still do not know what Jalen Green is

The Suns have yet to see the product they acquired in the Kevin Durant trade. Arguably, the most significant piece, and he has played one complete game due to injuries. Now, that is the reason he should be traded.

“He was healthy in Houston, now he is hurt, let’s move him” is the sentiment some people feel, but I am indifferent. Not just because it is Julius Randle (who has been fantastic this year, and is a notorious Suns killer), but because Green’s role here remains a mystery.

In his first game, he was terrific, leading the scoring. He was finding his way to attack in this new offense, and it was fun to watch. I am not willing to throw that away because he has not been available, plays the same position as Devin Booker, or because we have other guards on this team.

2. The Suns are getting younger and contract situation

The Suns wanted this season to get younger and faster. They did so in two ways: by adding younger players and playing them more than in previous seasons, and by adding a new head coach, Jordan Ott. His scheme and system are moving at a faster pace than in the past, which has led to this team’s success.

So why would the team trade a 23-year-old on his first contract after his rookie extension to get a 31-year-old who just signed an extension? It does not make any sense, especially where the Suns are currently placed. Even if they are doing better than expected, seventh in a stacked West is nothing early on in the season. If they added Randle, it would definitely help them, but at what cost? Not one of making the WCF or NBA Finals, so is it worth it? Why give up on a young asset, one you could either mold or get a bigger return on later down the line, now at one high point in the beginning of the retool?

Yes, some people say Jalen Green is not worth the money he is paid, but it’s better for this roster. The extension he signed with the Rockets kicked in this year, and he makes $106 million over three years. He does have a player option in the last year, which he can pick up or decline if he’s playing better than he’s paid.

Julius Randle’s contract is very similar to Green’s, as he makes $100 million over three years and also has the player option on his last year as well. Once again, the contract does not make sense to pay someone who is getting older when you have someone making just a bit more who can continue to improve.

3. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

The classic saying everyone knows, but it remains so true about this team. After so many years of trying to chase a ring and stars, this team shot itself in the foot multiple times. Yet the minute we see success, they should jump back in and do it again?

These role players have been stepping up and delivering, and as someone who has tried to trade them on this site since I started writing here, it may be time to stop. They have been giving the Suns exactly what they need and have delivered on both ends. Why should we reward them by shortening their minutes in the rotation? It just does not make sense to me.

This article was not written to rip apart Julius Randle. Personally, I loved him on those young Lakers teams and always hoped the best for him after the Knicks. He truly has found that in Minnesota, and even though he would make the Suns better on paper, I do not know how much this would help this team now. In the long run, I do not know how much this would help this team.

I also do not want to give up on Jalen Green for nothing. He is still 23 years old and can still blossom into a young star, even if it’s not the number one option he was drafted to be. That type of player can find success here in the Valley. Small sample size or not, I don’t think it’s smart to rush this rebuild into making this trade!