Suns could reunite with former fan favorite?

Apr 19, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams reacts during the second quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans during game two of the first round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Phoenix Suns are currently without the services of Devin Booker, but they could be bringing back Booker’s old running mate.

Veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported this week on his Substack page that the Phoenix Suns were among the teams interested in trading for Charlotte Hornets swingman Kelly Oubre Jr. prior to Oubre’s hand injury. Oubre is now out for four-to-six weeks with the injury (a torn ligament to his left hand), temporarily shelving any trade talks.

Nevertheless, the NBA trade deadline this year is still nearly five weeks away (on Feb. 9), seemingly leaving open the possiblity that an Oubre trade could be revisited at some point closer to then. The 27-year-old was averaging a career-high 20.2 points per game this season before going down and is in the final year of his contract on a Hornets team that is going nowhere.

Oubre played for the Suns for two seasons from 2018 to 2020, becoming a fan favorite with his energetic two-way play and his edgy competitive style. Phoenix could also use another wing (even after Booker gets back from his hamstring injury) since the Jae Crowder situation remains unresolved and since Cameron Johnson is still out too.

One caveat is that Oubre, after he was traded to the Golden State Warriors in 2020, trashed Suns owner Robert Sarver on his way out. But that might not be an issue anymore since Sarver is finalizing the sale of the team to a new owner.