Suns to meet with Blake Griffin and Paul Millsap once free agency opens

According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, the Phoenix Suns have scheduled meetings with two pricey free agents once July 1 hits.

Not only will Phoenix meet with Paul Millsap, who’s already been rumored in sign-and-trade talks before the draft, but Blake Griffin will meet with Suns management Saturday evening with the expectation of offering a four-year, $130 million max contract.

For Griffin to receive an offer of this magnitude from the Suns, there will have to be multiple moves that will take place on the roster. Names that could be on the move, if they end up in deep discussions with Griffin’s camp, are Tyson Chandler and Jared Dudley. However, we have seen this plenty of times prior, including Chandler in a package to help obtain LaMarcus Aldridge in 2015, but he ended up going to a more immediate contender.

Griffin, who is 28 until March, does fit the team’s timeline in terms of acquiring talent from general manager Ryan McDonough’s aforementioned range of 19 to Eric Bledsoe, who will turn 28 himself in December. Meanwhile, Millsap, who’s already 32, would be a much harder sell to not only be a win-now move but take minutes away from Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender. Same goes for Griffin, though, but it’s at least a better sell to the fans in terms of acquiring a star talent who can be the top option while Devin Booker and Josh Jackson take steps in their developments.

Phoenix will continue to be a name that’s brought up by agents to help drum up interest, but Griffin and Millsap continue to be continuously linked to the Valley even in the pre-draft process. There easily could be fire beneath billows of smoke here.

Heading into a contract year, this could be a play by McDonough to acquire high-end talent to a young roster to improve the team but also his job security to owner Robert Sarver.

If either of these players signs in Phoenix, it will definitely be intriguing to see how head coach Earl Watson would piece Chriss and Bender around whichever one is brought in.