The Phoenix Suns are yet to budge on Jae Crowder. As the veteran striker is one of the biggest names in the business market, he is patiently waiting to land a new opportunity before speaking again.
Last year, Crowder played 67 games with the Suns. Averaging just under 30 minutes on the ground, the veteran drove in nine points per game while draining 35% of his threes. In the playoffs, he put up nine points per game, hitting just 30% of his threes.
Considering where the 32-year-old striker is in his career, Crowder would benefit from landing in a team that hopes to win the championship. Several teams have been linked to Crowder, but none more so than the Miami Heat. If Crowder were to return to Miami, he would certainly increase the Heat’s chances of becoming more threatening in the Eastern Conference.
There hasn’t been much traction between the Heat and Suns lately, and now another Eastern Conference team would be in the mix. According ESPN Rumor has it Brian Windhorst of the Washington Wizards would “look at a guy like Jae Crowder.”
According to Windhorst, the Suns are looking for a power forward in exchange for Crowder, making names such as Rui Hachimura and Denialism Avdija relevant in rumors for Crowder when it comes to Wizarding.
The Wizards, like the Philadelphia 76ers, are currently in the middle of the pack when it comes to Eastern Conference standings. With an 11-11 record, Washington is still trying to figure out what kind of plays they need to add to get back into the playoff conversation.
Could Crowder be suitable for this? It looks like Washington is exploring the idea. But recent rumors still suggest that Phoenix is far from finding a conclusion to the Crowder contest.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
