Phoenix Suns head coach Earl Watson is throwing cold water on the idea that Tyson Chandler will be traded to facilitate a second-half youth movement.
Watson said on Thursday that the veteran seven-footer is “not going anywhere,” per Spencer Davies of 16 Wins A Ring.
An adamant Earl Watson to @16WinsARing just now: "Tyson [Chandler]'s not going anywhere." #Suns
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) January 19, 2017
The 34-year-old Chandler, who is in Year 2 of a four-year, $52 million contract, has fared quite well this season for an aging big with 7.8 points and 12.1 rebounds per game (tied for sixth in the league) on 67.1 percent shooting (second amongst qualified players). But the Suns are 13-28 and every minute that Chandler gets (27.9 of them per game this year) is a minute that isn’t going towards the development of their young big men like Alex Len (21.2), Marquese Chriss (18.0), and Dragan Bender (12.8).
Chandler had been attracting trade interest from this Western adversary amongst others. But the Suns clearly believe that his on-court production and, presumably, his influence in the locker room as a veteran leader are reason enough to keep the former Defensive Player of the Year around.
