Empire of the Suns trade deadline preview: Tyson Chandler

Empire of the Suns will be taking a look at Phoenix’s five most likely players to be moved prior to the NBA’s trade deadline on Feb. 8. First, we tipped off our series with a look at Greg Monroe.

Now, we’ll discuss the Suns’ vocal leader who in a trade could bring a niche role to a team looking to make a playoff run.

Player: Tyson Chandler

Age: 35

Contract situation: $13 million this year, $13.6 million in the final season of his deal next year

Role on Suns: Starting center

Season stats: 35 games played (of 46 Suns games), 25.7 MPG, 6.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 0.6 BPG

Current standing

The locker room leader not afraid to lend a word of advice in practice, Chandler is a rock for a young team attempting to learn accountability on the defensive end. No matter that his best playing days are behind him, he remains of the NBA’s best overall rebounders.

While his shot-blocking has fallen off in the past few years and his age hampers him as a threat offensively, he brings value as a teacher on the court and splits time with Alex Len and, less recently, Greg Monroe.

Trade outlook

Kellan Olson: Because of the way he moves at his age, Chandler is one of the more criticized players on the team. He is still an effective NBA center, though simply miscast on the Suns.

His rebounding and rim running makes him a steady contributor, and in a 15-22 minute role on a more talented team in a playoff hunt, his skills could be maximized. Remember, when he signed that four-year deal with the Suns, the thought was Len would take over as the starter for the last two years of Chandler’s deal.

If Chandler wants to leave, the Suns should trade him if they can. It would make the team worse — or better in the draft lottery positioning — while giving Len extended minutes. It would also be doing Chandler a favor.

If he doesn’t, there’s no reason to move him. The positive effect he has as a veteran leader is clear, and his $13.6 million salary next season is the last year of his deal.

The size of his contract and the role he would play on a great team is why it will be a challenge for the Suns to deal Chandler. It would likely take a three- or four-team deal with plenty of moving pieces for Phoenix to come out without any long-term money.

Kevin Zimmerman: Let’s take a brief peek at teams that might want Chandler.

The Cavaliers are desperate to turn their season around, but it’s not clear whether Chandler’s limited effectiveness on defense would be enough for a team that by defensive rating is right with Phoenix at the bottom of the league. Phoenix could perhaps take back an expiring contract of Channing Frye, whose role has been smaller this year, another like Jose Calderon or Derrick Rose, plus one more smaller salary and/or a late draft pick. But how much does Chandler move the needle for perhaps the final year with LeBron James?

Despite having two All-Star bigs on the roster, the veteran-laden Pelicans would be a fit could use Chandler’s contract in a swap for center Omer Asik, whose eight-digit salary goes a year longer than Chandler’s. But the Suns would have to believe Asik is a better option than any of Chandler, Alan Williams or re-signing Len. That’s forgetting the possibility of Phoenix drafting a center.

Maybe a team like Indiana or Philadelphia wants to bolster its depth as they prepare for a playoff run. The 76ers’ Amir Johnson comes off the books this season and could be dealt straight up. Pacers big man Al Jefferson ($9.8 million for this year and next) does as well, but the Suns have to consider losing their most vocal leader for, quite honestly, not much in expected return.

The options aren’t high in number, but an injury to a starting center on a key team before the trade deadline could open up the Suns’ options if they want to move Chandler.

And a lot of what happens could come down to what Chandler desires. Is leaving the young players he’s invested so much time into worth a role on a team that could get bounced in the first round of the playoffs?

Likelihood of being traded: 2/10