32-year-old Jae Crowder may not be an NBA superstar, but he’s exactly the type of role player that can make a difference for contending teams. This season, Crowder hasn’t played a single minute of basketball, but what he provides as a 3-and-D wing has made him one of the season’s hottest trade targets.
While no deal is reported to be imminent at this time, Hoops Wire’s Sam Amico did reveal which teams are considered the frontrunners to land the two-way swingman.
“The Suns are continuing to explore potential Jae Crowder trades, with the Bucks, Heat, [Golden State] Warriors and others among those interested, sources told Hoops Wire,” wrote Sam Amico. “The Bucks and Heat are viewed as the frontrunners for the veteran small forward, as the Suns would be hesitant to send him to a Western team, particularly a West contender sources said.
“Others expressing an interest in Crowder over the past few weeks, per sources: The [Charlotte] Hornets, [Denver] Nuggets, [Washington] Wizards, [Minnesota] Timberwolves and [New York] Knicks,” wrote Amico.
While it is widely believed the Suns are looking to add perimeter shooting in a Crowder trade, they are actually seeking a power forward, per Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Windhorst also confirmed the Wizards’ interest, which we reported last week.
The Suns have indeed expressed an interest in the likes of the Wizards’ Kyle Kuzma and Kings’ Harrison Barnes, but both rival teams have made it clear that neither player is available, especially not for Crowder, sources said.
As you can see, Crowder is generating some significant interest across the league, but it remains to be seen how high the Suns value him, and what kind of offer they would be willing to accept.
But with Jae having practically severed all ties with Phoenix, it seems inevitable that the Suns will move him sooner than later.
What Happened Between Jae Crowder And The Suns?
The whole situation with Crowder is really quite bizarre. After apparently losing his starting job, the veteran forward requested a trade and has not been seen since. Instead of working for a resolution with their disgruntled athlete, the Suns have seemingly given up on trying to get him to stay and nobody is quite sure why.
“I thought the way Phoenix played the situation was strange,” one Western Conference executive told Yahoo Sports. “You’re not a super deep team. You’re a contender. Doesn’t it seem like there’s some other way to resolve this other than him sitting out and hurting your depth?For Jae to hold out is pretty rare. It’s pretty extreme,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “It’s really interesting they didn’t just play hardball with him.”
With practically no leverage in this situation, the Suns aren’t going to get much for Crowder anyway, so why not try and force him to play?
For whatever reason, the Suns decided not to do that, and it’s paying off so far. Despite missing Crowder and Paul, the Suns haven’t lost a beat from last season and currently sit atop the West with a 14-6 record.
From the outside looking in, it seems the Suns may be better off without Crowder after all…
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
