Over the past few days, reports have indicated that Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder could soon be on the move.
The Phoenix Suns and Jae Crowder have mutually agreed that the veteran forward will not participate in training camp as the sides work on a trade, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 25, 2022
Crowder will not take part in the Suns’ training camp this month, and he reportedly requested a trade as a result of the team telling him he had a chance of losing his starting spot this season.
According to one anonymous executive, teams around the league should be wary of trading for the veteran.
The general manager started with the positives.
“He’s a nice player, a veteran who has won, someone who can help you in that (3-and-D) aspect,” the general manager told Hoops Wire.
However, that’s where the praise came to an end.
“But I’d be real hesitant to get a guy who wants traded simply because he was told he’d have to earn his starting spot,” the general manager continued. “That’s not a team player.”
While the general manager may have a solid point about not wanting to acquire players who don’t have team-first mentalities, there is no real indication that Crowder is that type of player. If he believes that he should start and wants a new deal, there’s nothing wrong with him requesting a trade.
So far, it seems like the market for Crowder is quite healthy. The Cleveland Cavaliers have already reportedly expressed interest. If the Cavs were to acquire Crowder, he would certainly compete for the starting small forward spot.
With the Cavs, he’d likely be tasked with contributing primarily on the defensive side of the ball. However, that’s not to say he doesn’t have capabilities on the offensive side of the ball as well.
Last season, he averaged 9.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. However, his shooting percentages of 39.9 percent from the field and 34.8 from deep could certainly improve.
Regardless of what kind of player Crowder may or may not be, there are a lot of teams around the league that would be interested in his skill set. Only time will tell how long it takes for Crowder to actually get traded.
It would not be much of a shock if he were moved prior to the start of the 2022-23 regular season.
