Heat the preferred trade destination for Jae Crowder?

Jae Crowder has been often mentioned as Miami’s primary target to replace P.J. Tucker, a fellow contending mercenary forward, once Tucker departed for Philadelphia in free agency – on another three-year, $30-plus million deal structure similar to …

Jae Crowder has been often mentioned as Miami’s primary target to replace P.J. Tucker, a fellow contending mercenary forward, once Tucker departed for Philadelphia in free agency — on another three-year, $30-plus million deal structure similar to Crowder’s purported wishes. Heat officials have even expressed confidence Miami is Crowder’s preferred destination. By all accounts, Crowder didn’t want to leave Miami after he contributed to the Heat’s 2020 Eastern Conference championship, but Miami balked at the three-for-30 number Crowder was seeking then, just as he purportedly is now. So, why not wait to see if Crowder ultimately finds a buyout, in Phoenix or elsewhere, and flocks back to South Beach with open arms?

Source: Jake Fischer @ Yahoo! Sports

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
On a recent episode of @FrontOfficeShow my guy @Trevor_Lane and I talked about the idea of Jae Crowder to the Heat. Fit is great. Finding a trade that makes sense for both Miami and Phoenix AND matches salary isn’t so easy. Not sure that match exists. – 10:41 AM
The Vertical @YahooSportsNBA
The Suns’ curious handling of Jae Crowder creates more questions than answers 🤔
From @Jake Fischer ➡️ https://t.co/14QGOqJypQ pic.twitter.com/iJXzdxN8sV10:39 AM

Jake Fischer @JakeLFischer
First intel notebook @YahooSports features none other than the curious holdout of Jae Crowder.
Details on Miami and Atlanta’s interest in the veteran swingman, and other relevant news and notes from Boston, Memphis, Dallas, Utah and Houston: sports.yahoo.com/the-suns-curio…10:09 AM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Clarification on #Suns roster moves:
Saben Lee and Adonis Arms camp invites as was Frank Jackson, who was waived.
Have 19 on roster counting Jae Crowder, but must rattle it down to 15 on standard roster by Monday.
Ish Wainright, Duane Washington Jr. fill the two 2-way slots. pic.twitter.com/eb3iSChAUY9:23 PM

Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
Jae Crowder is really about to have more juice than Kevin Durant when it comes to successfully demanding a trade. – 8:55 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Suns injury report for the Kings preseason game tomorrow:
Josh Okogie – probable (left hamstring strain)
Cam Johnson – out (right thumb strain)
Cam Payne – out (right finger sprain)
Landry Shamet – out
(left hip strain)
Dario Saric – NWT (personal reasons)
Jae Crowder – NWT – 6:54 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
#Suns injury report vs. #Kings:
PROBABLE: Josh Okogie (left hamstring strain)
OUT: Cam Johnson (right thumb sprain, Cameron Payne (right finger sprain), Landry Shamet (left hip strain), Dario Saric (personal reasons), Jae Crowder (not with team). – 6:52 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
#Suns stories:
“Monty and I are talking.” https://t.co/d13lTPRnZB
Suns still looking to move Jae Crowder https://t.co/3lTLrEigN7
#Nuggets PA calls Deandre Jordan Deandre Ayton in starting lineups https://t.co/TABrcoJXTX
5 takeaways from loss at Denver https://t.co/B0Xu8mZFnJ pic.twitter.com/xbSkdBSU5l10:00 AM

Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
No sign of Jae’Sean Tate at halftime so he presumably will play it safe with the ankle. That makes four regulars who are out. It also makes K.J. Martin the only Rockets player who played with Victor Oladipo in 2020-21 in the game. – 8:54 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Jae’Sean Tate is being evaluated with right ankle soreness. He missed the first preseason game with that issue. – 8:03 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
We’re going live on @PHNX_Suns in 2 minutes to talk about the latest with Jae Crowder trade rumors, Deandre Ayton and more!
Come hang out: https://t.co/Exl9zJfFmQ pic.twitter.com/f8zxFgUW2X4:58 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
How about #Suns sending Jae Crowder and Dario Saric to #Hawks for Bogdan Bogdanovic?
This year, Crowder due $10.1M, Saric $9.2M, Bogdanovic $18M.
Bogdanovic has yet to return from offseason knee surgery.
Saric back after missing last season.
Thoughts? https://t.co/ODEPCw4Y2Q pic.twitter.com/InPYsWOEzB3:59 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Report: Atlanta #Hawks ‘suitor’ for Phoenix #Suns veteran Jae Crowder
azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral1:28 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Hawks added to list as possible trade partner for Jae Crowder nba.nbcsports.com/2022/10/10/rep…12:31 PM
Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
I had outlined a few Jae Crowder trade scenario that might make sense with the Hawks a few weeks ago: bit.ly/3DYU5FU12:04 PM
John Hollinger @johnhollinger
De’Andre Hunter is a near-exact salary match for Jae Crowder. Anyways, carry on … – 11:57 AM
Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Eastern Conference contender emerges as interested suitor for Suns’ Jae Crowder: pic.twitter.com/oxw12tvnUt11:25 AM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
#Suns injury report at #Nuggets:
OUT: Cam Johnson (right thumb sprain), Cameron Payne (right finger sprain), Landry Shamet (left hip strain), Dario Saric (personal reasons) Jae Crowder (not with team.
QUESTIONABLE: Josh Okogie (left hamstring strain). – 7:17 PM
Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Landry Shamet (left hip strain), Cam Payne (right finger sprain), Cam Johnson (right thumb sprain) and Dario Saric (personal reasons) are all out for tomorrow’s preseason game in Denver. Josh Okogie (left hamstring strain) is questionable. Jae Crowder still not with team. – 7:17 PM

More on this storyline

Word of Crowder’s availability has circled among league decision-makers since June’s draft. The understanding among NBA personnel is that Crowder has since requested a trade from Phoenix, and the Suns have been happy to oblige. With Crowder’s three-year, $29.1 million deal expiring at the conclusion of this 2022-23 campaign, the Suns, sources said, are unwilling to offer an extension of similar value that Crowder is once again commanding. -via Yahoo! Sports / October 12, 2022
Phoenix has informed inquiring teams it only wishes to move Crowder for a player or combination of players who can help win now. -via Yahoo! Sports / October 12, 2022
All this has left rival executives questioning why Phoenix barred Crowder from the team in the first place? Was he really that much of a malcontent? It’s considered a cardinal rule that when teams declare their design to trade a player, it intrinsically lowers his value. “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.” -via Yahoo! Sports / October 12, 2022