Feb 5, 2013; Memphis, MTN, USA; Phoenix Suns point guard Goran Dragic (1) drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. Phoenix Suns defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 96-90. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden–USA TODAY Sports

The Phoenix Suns(17-32) defeated the Memphis Grizzlies(30-17) on the road last night by the final score of 96-90. With the win over Memphis, Phoenix now improve to 5-20 on the road.

The Phoenix Suns rallied back in the fourth-quarter behind a great fourth-quarter performance from Goran Dragic who scored 15 of his 17 points in the fourth-quarter. Dragic finished the game with 17 points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals.

Unfortunately, Dragic may miss tomorrow night’s game as it seems like he may be a bit under the weather; should Dragic miss tomorrow night’s game expect Kendall Marshall to start. Dragic tweeted this after last night’s win:

“Great win for us but feeling very sick. Need a good night’s sleep to recover. Tomorrow we play New Orleans. Go #All4Orange”

The Suns also got great contribution off the bench, especially from Jermaine O’Neal and Kendall Marshall. Marshall played a season-high 33 minutes and recorded 11 points, four assists and hit three of five three point attempts on the evening. O’Neal added 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals but more importantly, O’Neal played spectacular defense on Grizzlies center Marc Gasol who scored just six points on the evening.

After trailing Memphis 72-77 with 8:48 left in the game, the Phoenix Suns would go on an 8-2 run capped off by an and-one play from Dragic which gave the Suns an 80-79 lead with 5:50 left in the ballgame.

After some riveting back and forth action, the game was tied at 88 all with 1:38 left in regulation, Dragic would score the final six points of the game and the Suns escaped the Fedex Forum with the win surviving an offensive outburst from the Grizzlies Jerryd  Bayless who scored a season-high 29 points; Bayless scored 29 points in 29 minutes off the bench hitting 11 of his 15 attempts from the field.

The Suns did a tremendous job defensively on Memphis, holding Memphis to just 44% shooting on the night and forcing 17 Memphis turnovers which led to 20 points for Phoenix.

The Suns will now head down to the town that just hosted the Superbowl to take on the New Orleans Hornets. The Suns are 2-10 this season when playing the second game of a back-to-back set.

Dec. 12, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay (22) and Phoenix Suns forward Jared Dudley (3) at the US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Grizzlies 82-80. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Trade rumors has surfaced over the last couple days that the Phoenix Suns and the Memphis Grizzlies are in discussions for a potential trade centering Rudy Gay.

“In an effort to avoid paying luxury tax in the short term, as well as get off the $17.8 million and $19.3 million owed Gay in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, new Memphis management has aggressively shopped Gay,” Wojnarowski writes. “The Grizzlies have made proposals on Gay to several teams, front-office sources told Yahoo! Sports.”

First and foremost the fact that the Memphis Grizzlies who are actually capable of dethroning the Miami Heat this season is considering trading away their star forward for cap seasons is absurd! Ever heard of a phrase “If it’s not broken don’t fix it”? The Grizzlies front office has clearly not gotten that memo.

Secondly, ideally, if the Suns were to hash out a deal with Memphis for Gay, odds are Jared Dudley would have to be involved. On top of Dudley I’d imagine the Grizzlies would also ask for a 1st round pick from the Suns, that alone makes it a bad deal for the Suns!

Dudley has had a great year playing at the small forward position(When Gentry was smart enough to play him there) and statistically speaking when Dudley has played at the small forward position, he’s had a better season than Gay. In Jared Dudley’s 13 games played at the small forward he’s averaged 16.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals on 52% shooting from the field and 37% from behind the 3-point line.

Gay on the other hand is having a really tough year. Gay is shooting a career worst 41% from the field, 2nd career worst 32% from behind the 3-point line, and scoring 2nd career worst 17.8 points per game; not to mention he’s also posting a career low in PER(Player Efficiency Rating) while Dudley has posted a career high in that stat this season.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that Dudley is better than Gay but in such a trade if the Suns were to give up a lottery pick, the Suns are getting the shorter end of the stick. Chances are that’s what the Memphis Grizzlies will be asking for.

The Suns are desperately in search of that star player to save the day, but Gay is not answer, he’s far from it. Rudy Gay is a terrific player but if Rudy Gay is your best player, you’re not winning a championship. Suns fans, consider the fact that Rudy Gay has yet to make the all-star team in his 6 years in the NBA; sit on that for a second.

The Suns failed in getting Eric Gordon this off-season after New Orleans decided to match the Suns offer, then the Suns failed to make a trade for James Harden and I hope they fail in their endeavor to get Rudy Gay because it would be ONE BIG MISTAKE!

With the Suns in their current cap position they are poised for a run at big time free agent this off-season, and with the Suns projecting at the moment to finish as the 5th worst team in the league, they’ll have great draft position as well. Whenever a team has good draft position and cap space only good things will happen.

The Suns have worked hard to dig themselves out of the Steve Nash situation, and trading for Rudy Gay at the moment is a mere band-aid for the Suns not a permanent solution.

The best option for the Suns at this point is to trade Marcin Gortat for future assets(draft picks), hold on to their cap room freedom, and for the love of all that’s good and pure hold on to their draft picks!

“They have zero untouchables, and word is, they plan to see what they might be able to get for the likes of forwards Jared Dudley and Michael Beasley, and even center Marcin Gortat. According to Sam Amico of Fox Sports”

The pure idea of adding a young talent like Rudy Gay is extremely appealing for the Suns and I’d imagine it is for Suns fans as well but ultimately it’s a bad decision due to Gay’s large contract and the fact that the Suns would have to cough up Jared Dudley and draft picks. I’ll say it again “IT’S A BAD MOVE!” Then again, it’s Robert Sarver and co. who are in charge of the Suns and we all know that they never ever make bad moves……….I hope everyone got that last part as sarcasm.