Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder welcomes return to Miami Heat. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Barry Jackson of Miami HeraldThe Sun are currently in trade negotiations.
“A lot of it is centered around Jae Crowder,” Windwurst explained when asked about trading veterans. “Jae Crowder is a marketable player right now.”
Last season, in 67 starts for the Suns, the 10-year veteran averaged 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He also shot 39.9% from the floor and 34.8% from downtown.
ID THE RINGS JRUE AND TOOK ADVERTISEMENT FROM ME.! 🤦🏾♂️😡 https://t.co/3torEL04Cz
— Jae Crowder (@CJC9BOSS) September 19, 2022
Jackson noted, “The challenge is to come to an agreement on the salary cap that satisfies both groups. It would be surprising if the Suns were willing to take on the final four years and $75 million of Duncan Robinson’s cap hit, which is $10.2 million on an expiring contract.”
“It would be very surprising if the Heat were willing to offer Crowder a first-round pick,” Jackson continued. “Dwayne Dedmon and Oladipo can’t be traded until Jan. 15, and Oladipo can veto any trade this season.”
Suns forward Jae Crowder welcomes return to Heat
In other words, Crowder is likely out of the Suns before or during the 2022-23 season. Although the move is only done if the wing wants it. For both playoff contenders, it might be best to wait until mid-January.
In the year The Heat traded Dion Waiters and Justice Winslow to the Grizzlies; The Heat traded James Johnson to the Minnesota Timberwolves; And the Timberwolves sent Gorgie Ding to the Grizzlies.
Crowder was an important part of the Heat’s 2020 NBA Finals team. In the Heat’s NBA Finals series loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the wing averaged 11.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
In 20 games with Miami during the 2019-20 season, the forward averaged 11.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals. He helped strengthen head coach Erik Spoelstra’s frontcourt.
In the second season of the 2020 NBA Playoffs, Crowder averaged a career-high 15.2 points in a playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Well, one thing is for sure: the Suns are a good team with Jae Crowder. Suns GM James Jones will have to convince the forward to keep playing for Phoenix, thinking that a Western Conference contender is better off with him.
