It may be tough to ask the Phoenix Suns to take the four years left on Duncan Robinson’s contract for Crowder.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN said yesterday that the Phoenix Suns have made Jae Crowder available in trade discussions. Last month, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald said the Miami Heat would be open to a reunion with Crowder, who played with Miami during the 2020 Finals run in the Bubble. Crowder’s own likes on Twitter seem to signal that he’d enjoy returning as well.
The Suns are in trade negotiations right now, mainly centered around Jae Crowder, per @WindhorstESPN. Bojan Bogdanovic is a potential target to monitor.
Windhorst also relays Phoenix is working on a long-term contract extension for Cam Johnson. pic.twitter.com/g23IoiqfWw
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) September 19, 2022
The problem, as Jackson wrote in an article today, is that it’s difficult to craft a trade for Crowder. The veteran Miami reporter said that it’d be surprising if the Phoenix Suns agreed to take on the four years remaining on Duncan Robinson’s contract in exchange for Crowder, who is entering the final year of his contract. On the other hand, it’d be surprising if the Heat offered a first-round pick for Crowder, he said.
NEW: A fresh pack of Heat notes as camp nears, including: Heat hopes it has found another defender who can shoot with Days. And the Crowder quandary. And Bam feedback: https://t.co/k2cuaumcRA
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) September 20, 2022
If Robinson shoots above 40 percent from 3 to start the season, will the Suns view a trade of Crowder for Robinson favorably? Was Max Strus’ great shooting last year an outlier? Strus shot 41 percent from 3 last season, but 33.8 percent the year before. He also never shot above 40 percent from 3 in college. Strus’ knock-down shooting made Robinson expendable last year, but who knows if that continues this season.
In February 2020, the Heat traded Justise Winslow, James Johnson and Dion Waiters for Crowder, Andre Iguodala and Solomon Hill.