Cavs target Josh Jackson is now trade eligible

To this point, there has been little indication that the Phoenix Suns would be willing to include their fourth overall pick, forward Josh Jackson, in a trade for Kyrie Irving.

In a report for Cleveland.com, Joe Vardon had stated that if the Suns were willing to give up Jackson, point guard Eric Bledsoe and a first round pick for Irving, the Cavs would have pulled the trigger. While it’s clear the Suns have been hesitant to include Jackson, they also haven’t been allowed to move the rookie until 30 days after he signed his rookie deal.

The wait period before Jackson can be moved officially ends today, Aug. 3. This means one of the most discussed and interesting and realistic trade scenarios for Irving becomes possible.

While the Suns can come up with a good-value deal for Irving, their hesitation to include Jackson makes some sense. Without him, their core would be just Irving and Devin Booker. While Booker is a promising young talent, it’s unclear if he would be enough to keep Irving in the desert beyond the next two years. Irving’s unwillingness to commit beyond his current deal is also reportedly hangup in trade talks.

While Marquese Chriss may blossom into a very solid player, Drajan Bender’s first season displaying many of the red flags you would associate with a bust. The Suns just aren’t in the same position as the Minnesota Timberwolves or Denver Nuggets where they appear to be a piece away from a solid three-player core. It may be a gamble that they change their mind on, but it’s still a gamble. And for the Cavs, it may be Jackson or bust when dealing with Phoenix.