Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 9:25pm

SUNS GET CHILDRESS FROM HAWKS

The Phoenix Suns acquired swingman Josh Childress from the Atlanta Hawks for a trade exception and a 2012 second-round draft pick.

What does it give the Phoenix Suns
The Suns are trying to find a way to stay competitive with their aging core after losing superstar big man Amar'e Stoudemire to free agency, and Childress will definitely help. He's a bit of a steal here for the price (although it does involve giving him a new five-year contract). Childress is an above-average all-rounder who can play anywhere from power forward to point guard (but mostly settles in as a small forward) and is a great fit for Phoenix's up-tempo, interchangeable lineup. He should also eventually replace Grant Hill as the starter at the 3-spot.

What does it give the Atlanta Hawks
Childress left the Hawks before the 2008-09 season to play in Europe, and clearly wanted to return to the NBA with a new team. Atlanta didn't make room for Childress to play a major role with them two years ago (and have even less room now--at least financially--after signing Joe Johnson), but may be regretting losing him considering the slow development of starting small forward Marvin Williams. The trade exception is an asset (worth roughly $3.6 Million of salary) the Hawks can offer in trades to teams looking to drop that much payroll without adding more salary and/or players.

Fantasy impact