Phoenix Suns Isaiah Thomas fires agent as NBA trade season begins

It is December 15, and with the Phoenix Suns riding a 5-game losing streak it's time for the Suns to consider shaking up the roster. Isaiah Thomas just might be preparing to give the Phoenix Suns a push to enter the fray.

Many folks consider December 15 as the start of NBA trading season because that's the first day on which teams can dump the guy they signed over the summer to improve their team.

Teams have been allowed to trade players this whole time - the Sixers being the most notably active so far this season - as long as they were signed prior to this offseason. Most of the Suns team has been eligible all season so far for trade.

Eligible starting today, December 15

But with so much turnover year over year, December 15 is the first day that 95% of the league is trade-eligible. As of today, Suns players Isaiah Thomas, Anthony Tolliver and P.J. Tucker are eligible for the first time this season to be traded.

Isaiah Thomas reportedly fired his agent, Andy Miller, and plans to have a new agent within days. Funny that the timing matches his eligibility for trades.

Thomas wanted to start, and has expressed surprise that he didn't get a starting gig in Phoenix, a team that already had an All-NBA combo guard and a younger PG negotiating a big extension. But hey, I guess it's all Andy Miller's fault eh?

Who could the Suns acquire for Thomas, if he demands a trade through his new agent?

One such player from another team eligible to be traded today is PF-C Greg Monroe, but only with his consent. Monroe is a really bad fit in Detroit and has been marginalized by the team due to his impending free agency, and quite possibly due to his lack of focus and attention to defense. Yet he is still a 15/10 player who can score in the paint like few NBA players can.

Because Monroe signed his qualifying offer ($5.5 million), any team acquiring Monroe can only do so with Monroe's consent, and would not have any Bird Rights this summer as Monroe becomes a free agent. Lack of Bird Rights means that the acquiring team would not have the right to offer higher raises or more years to Monroe to entice him to stay.

Another player who can rebound is Jordan Hill, but with the Lakers looking like they don't want to tank the season it's unlikely they will trade Hill.

The player getting the most early buzz for trade is Lance Stephenson. He signed with Charlotte and has been a malcontent and bad fit, often sitting out entire fourth quarters for quite possibly the season's most disappointing team. The Hornets are reportedly interested in trading him and his $27 million contract for reasonable value or a future first round pick.

Not eligible until later this month

Not everyone can be traded as of today. Players such as the Suns' Eric Bledsoe and Zoran Dragic cannot be traded until three months have passed since they signed their contracts with the Suns.

For Bledsoe, that's somewhere around December 24, and for Zoran that's somewhere between September 29 and January 2. Yet I don't see either player being traded today, so I wouldn't worry about the exact date.

The Suns negotiating power

Not only do the Suns have reasonable contracts for use in trade, they also have nearly $5 million in cap space to acquire more salary than they send out.

With the team on a 5-game losing streak, the Suns could potentially be open to trading anyone and everyone as long as their long-term future remains bright in the wake of trades.

My guess is that the Suns will not make trades to help this season if it materially impacts future seasons. Don't plan on the Suns trading all their youth away for veterans for a playoff push. Though, with so many young assets, the Suns could afford to trade a couple of kids and still have that bright future.

Trade Deadline

The deadline for in-season trades this year is February 19. That's right at the end of an unusually long All-Star break of 10 days this season, and just before the Suns kick off the remainder of their schedule on February 20.

So, fire up those trade scenarios folks! We've got two months to discuss all the myriad ways to improve the team through magical trades that somehow improve the team this season and for future seasons, while at the same time convincing other teams that our trash is their treasure.

Ready... set... go!