Clifford Robinson to the Suns as early as 1996-97

[SelakStreet]

Clifford Robinson was an expiring contract (at $3.2m) during the '97 season and instead of letting him go to free agency without compensation, Portland could've sent him to the Phoenix Suns via trade in exchange for A.C. Green going to the Trail Blazers, instead of Cliff taking a pay cut to join the Suns as a free agent a season later. This trade would've had to happen before Phoenix traded Green to the Dallas Mavericks with Michael Finley and Sam Cassell in exchange for Jason Kidd, Tony Dumas and Loren Meyer.

Obviously, Phoenix didn't have any other true option to start at PF after trading away Green. Danny Manning was best suited as a 6th Man than a starter due to his knee surgeries, and Wayman Tisdale's best seasons were behind him despite being only 32-33 (even though he started at PF during the '97 playoff series vs Seattle in the 1st round as a size decoy). Clifford Robinson would've helped given the Suns a reliable starting PF who could score, and protect the Suns from having to use Manning or Tisdale as a starter or run an unprecedented and risky small ball lineup with four guards and Hot Rod Williams.

How would Phoenix have performed with Clifford Robinson in the starting lineup with Kevin Johnson, Wesley Person (or Rex Chapman), Finley (or Cedric Ceballos) and Hot Rod Williams?