Jae Crowder trade speculation: Destinations, landing spots, teams for Phoenix Suns forward
Jeremy Cluff
Jae Crowder trade speculation has swirled around the Phoenix Suns this offseason and it reached a boiling point after the Suns announced the veteran forward would not attend training camp starting Tuesday as Phoenix works on trading him.
Where could Crowder end up in a trade?
Check out the latest trade chatter surrounding Crowder and the Suns.
More:Jae Crowder won't attend Suns training camp as they've been trying to trade him
Yahoo Sports: Cavaliers, 76ers, Hornets potential trade destinations for Crowder
Yossi Gozlan wrote of the Cavaliers' potential trade fit with the Suns: "Cleveland is just $2.5 million below the luxury tax and ideally they’d like to avoid it this season to delay their repeater clock. Phoenix may want to replace Crowder with another wing player and one of Isaac Okoro or Cedi Osman gets the Cavs mostly there salary-matching wise. It might be too early for them to move on from Okoro, so Osman seems like a more logical candidate to get moved for Crowder. Osman and another salary such as Dylan Windler or Lamar Stevens with an increased partial guarantee works."
Fansided: Potential Jazz, Hornets, Wizards trades with Suns
Peter O'Keefe has Phoenix acquiring Lauri Markkanen from the Jazz in a deal including Crowder, Torrey Craig and a second-round pick.
He wrote: "His defensive capacity is a clear weakness, though in promising signs, he did significantly raise his defensive win shares to 2.3 last season in Cleveland. This provided optimism that in the right environment, next to quality individual defenders, Markkanen can cope defensively within a team construct. Markkanen has three years left at just over $50 million (third year partially guaranteed), giving the Suns team control over a player who still contains serious upside. He most recently had an incredible Eurobasket for Finland, averaging 27.9 points and 8.1 rebounds on 54.2% from the field and 40.5% from three-point range."
Basketball News: Bulls, Raptors, Heat, Hawks, Cavaliers potential trade partners with Suns
In a potential trade with the Bulls Evan Sidery has Phoenix landing Coby White and Javonte Green.
He wrote: "With the inconsistencies of Cameron Payne plaguing the Suns’ guard play last season, especially in the playoffs, taking a flier on White for the price of Crowder makes sense. Meanwhile, Green is a smaller version of Crowder but someone who could play a role off the bench and produce when called upon. It's possible that Chicago would want a pick back in this trade since they are parting with the No. 7 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft (who is still just 22 years old), which could become a sticking point in negotiations."
NBA Analysis: Cavaliers, 76ers, Heat trade scenarios for Suns
Grant Afseth has Miami giving Phoenix Duncan Robinson and a first-round pick for Crowder and Landry Shamet.
He wrote: "Robinson went from being an undrafted success story to becoming a punching bag after signing a five-year, $90 million contract and not living up to expectations. There is no denying his abilities as a sharpshooter. He presents intriguing qualities particularly in DHOs and in off-ball actions, but again, his lack of defensive impact has been limiting. It’s important to consider, Shamet doesn’t have nearly as large of a contract as Robinson, but he’s signed for the next four years and doesn’t come close to meeting the value of the $42.5 million contract he signed. Moving on from his deal would help."
More:Phoenix Suns trade speculation with Jae Crowder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Fansided: How Lakers can trade for Jae Crowder
Jason Reed included Lonnie Walker IV, Kendrick Nunn and a second-round pick in a deal to Phoenix for Crowder.
He wrote: "Phoenix is not getting much in this package but they are at least getting some value. They are getting two bodies in return for one that would add guard depth. Walker is young and moldable while Nunn is someone who Phoenix could fall in love with because of his ceiling. For the Lakers, this would be an example of the team plucking two players from an area of depth and adding to an area of weakness. Los Angeles is really guard-heavy but is significantly lacking in wing depth. If LA adds Crowder and signs Cole Swider to a standard NBA contract then suddenly the wing depth looks way better."
SB Nation: Could Blazers call Suns with offer for Jae Crowder?
Conor Bergin wrote: "The Blazers seem content to roll into the season with an expanded role for Nassir Little and lots of minutes for Josh Hart. Adding Crowder isn’t enough of a return to cut into either of those guys’ minutes, especially Little’s development. In a best case scenario, Little can develop into a Crowder-like player or better — and he’s only 22. Hart is probably the Blazers’ best, most-realistic trade chip at the moment who could swing a deal for Crowder. When it comes down to it, I’d rather have Hart on the roster more than a 32-year-old Crowder. If you’re going to deal Hart, which very well could happen at the February Trade Deadline (if you don’t want to potentially lose him in the offseason to free agency for nothing), I’d want general manager Joe Cronin to hold out for something better."
More:Phoenix Suns' Jae Crowder trade updates: Speculation includes Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks
SB Nation: Trading Crowder could pave way for Suns to acquire Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
John Voita wrote: "The Suns own all of their impending draft selections for the rest of the decade, which is the exception rather than the rule in the NBA these days. If they can take some of those picks, add in a roster asset or two, and sprinkle in the New York Knicks picks, perhaps pick-hoarding Sam Presti will pull the trigger on a deal with Phoenix."
Fansided: Timberwolves, Celtics, Heat could target Jae Crowder
Of the Celtics, Michael Saenz wrote: Boston will be starting the season without Robert Williams and Danilo Gallinari is slated to miss the entire 2022-23 NBA season. Al Horford and Grant Williams will have their hands full in the frontcourt and they’ll likely also rely on playing Jayson Tatum there too. If the Celtics could add a versatile wing like Crowder, it could help Boston mightily until Williams can return from his injury. The Celtics very well may be willing to be patient at the start of the season but Crowder would help alleviate a lot of this team’s current issues."
More:Jae Crowder tweet prompts Phoenix Suns' trade speculation: 'Time for a change'
NBA Analysis: Mavericks could trade for Suns' Jae Crowder
James Piercey had the Suns landing Spencer Dinwiddie from the Mavericks for Crowder and Dario Saric.
He wrote: "With Paul aging, that’s especially significant. Dinwiddie could help preserve him for the playoffs, and then improve the Suns’ rotation once they get. All things considered, he may be worth more to them than Crowder as currently constructed. In other words, he could be the last piece to their championship puzzle."
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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