Why De'Andre Hunter Contract Should Put an End to Hawks' Jae Crowder Trade Rumors
The Atlanta Hawks are set to open their season against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Forward De'Andre Hunter should be in the lineup for that game and, presumably, for the foreseeable future.
The fourth overall pick in the 2019 draft, Hunter was set to be a restricted free agent next offseason. However, Atlanta beat the 6 p.m. ET deadline on Monday to sign the Virginia product to an extension.
Hunter will now stick around on a four-year, $96 million extension.
Locking up the 24-year-old is big for the Hawks. It eliminates any potential RFA drama next offseason and any sort of contract distractions Hunter might have this season, and it ensures that Atlanta has its core group for the foreseeable future.
The Hawks now have Hunter, Trae Young, John Collins and Clint Capela all signed for at least the next three seasons. Offseason acquisition Dejounte Murray signed on a two-year deal.
Extending Hunter should also put an end to the idea of trading for Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder.
Crowder requested a trade from Phoenix, and the Suns appear willing to cooperate. While they haven't found a trade partner just yet, they're not forcing Crowder to play, either. The 32-year-old was placed on the inactive list to start the regular season.
The Hawks are one of several teams that had been linked to Crowder in the waning days of the offseason. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Atlanta had "emerged as a suitor" for Crowder.
"The Hawks and Suns have had conversations in recent weeks and months, I'm told, as Atlanta has seen if there's a pathway to bring Crowder into a Big Three of Trae Young, Dejounte Murray and John Collins," Charania
What's interesting to note here is that Hunter wasn't included in Charania's "Big Three" comment—and there might be a legitimate reason for that. At the time of the report, Hunter wasn't under contract long-term and might have been considered a trade chip.
Trading a young quality defender for an aging Crowder wouldn't make much sense in a vacuum. However, it's an option Atlanta might have explored if it felt that Hunter was destined to depart next offseason.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Suns want a player who can contribute now, not future draft capital for Crowder. If Atlanta's Big Three of Young, Murray and Collins are off-limits, that leaves Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic as the biggest trade candidates.
Flipping Bogdanovic, who has been ruled out for the opener, could still be an option, but Hunter was the player more likely to move the needle for Phoenix.
The other factor to consider here is that with its starting lineup signed for the next two seasons, Atlanta appears eager to build a long-term contender. Crowder, who is on an expiring contract, doesn't exactly fit that plan.
Bogdanovic is also signed through the 2023-24 season.
Trading for Crowder would make sense for Atlanta in one of two scenarios—if the Hawks believed it would net them a title run this season or if they were resigned to losing Hunter in 2023.
Adding Crowder wouldn't suddenly make a team that won 43 games last season elite. And since Hunter is going nowhere, there's no need to maximize the value of his departure in a trade.
Now, NBA roster movement can be unpredictable, and there's always a chance that Atlanta flips a couple of back-end players and/or a pick to land Crowder. There's also a chance that the Hawks pursue Crowder as a free agent if he's able to secure a buyout from Phoenix or another team.
According to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, Phoenix has some interest in dealing Crowder for Utah Jazz point guard Jordan Clarkson. That could result in Crowder becoming a free agent.
"That outcome would seem to result in Crowder securing a buyout from Utah, and then his pick of destination, albeit at an unknown salary," Fischer wrote.
However, Hunter's next contract means that, for now, we should probably pencil out the Hawks as potential suitors.
