Phoenix Suns

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KD will undergo an MRI on Monday after injuring his left ankle pic.twitter.com/GlsVHWxLK3

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 31, 2025

Jae Crowder's ongoing holdout from the Phoenix Suns is reportedly not winning him any fans around the NBA.

One anonymous general manager ripped into the Suns forward, saying Crowder has alienated teams by choosing to sit out over frustration with his contract.

"He just didn't show up," the general manager told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. "He said he's not playing unless he gets a contract extension that he wants. I think a lot of teams are turned off by that in and of itself. Like, 'What? You don't want to play for one of the best teams in the NBA and PROVE that you're worth it so you can get a contract next year? Like, you're not that good, bro. What are you doing?' It's a weird dynamic. It's one thing if Kevin Durant's holding out because he's not getting paid enough, but Jae Crowder? Seriously?"

Crowder seemingly responded to the comments via a post on his Twitter account:

DRAG MY NAME THROUGH THE MUD, WATCH ME COME OUT CLEAN.!

— JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) December 24, 2022

Crowder is in the final year of his contract and is being paid $10.2 million this season. He is coming off a largely unspectacular 2021-22 campaign, which saw him average 9.4 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting just 39.9 percent from the field.

While Crowder is a solid role player who provides rugged defense on the perimeter, the anonymous general manager isn't particularly wrong in this case. If the market for Crowder was what he expected it to be, he'd already be wearing a different uniform.

Instead, Crowder is wasting the final year of his contract and doing nothing to help out his value on the open market. Rather than proving his worth on the court, he chose to make his stand after a largely shaky season.

The Suns have also played just fine without him, sitting at 19-14 despite missing Chris Paul for much of the season.

This gamble has already backfired in a major way for Crowder.

The Phoenix Suns reportedly rejected a trade offer for Jae Crowder from the Washington Wizards centered around young forward Rui Hachimura, according to a report from basketball insider Marc Stein.

Per that report, the Suns wanted a starting-caliber player in return for Crowder.

Hachimura reportedly doesn't make the "starter-worthy" cut for the Suns.

The 24-year-old has largely been relegated to duty off the bench for the Wizards in the past two years, averaging 11.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game for the team this season while shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three in 23.5 minutes per game.

After making 105 starts for the team in his first two seasons, averaging over 30 minutes per game in each campaign, Hachimura made just 13 starts for the team last season and none this year. Kyle Kuzma, Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert have been preferred to Hachimura, earning bigger roles.

Injuries have played some part, as Hachimura missed about a month this season with a bone bruise in his ankle. The inability to consistently stay on the court—he's logged 50 or more games in a season just once due to injuries—has limited the fourth-year players's upside in general during his career.

The Suns, meanwhile, are in serious need of depth on the wing after Crowder chose to remain away from the team heading into the season and Cam Johnson is recovering from a torn right meniscus.

Mikal Bridges is locked into place as the team's starting small forward, while Torrey Craig, Damion Lee and Landry Shamet have seen their roles increase.

If the Suns are going to make a title push, getting another quality player to add to the mix in exchange for Crowder will be key. Having the 32-year-old veteran away from the team is hardly ideal, though to this point, the Suns clearly haven't gotten the type of offer they want.

Billionaire Mat Ishbia has reportedly agreed to buy the NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury from suspended governor Robert Sarver for $4 billion, the Suns announced on Tuesday night (via Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium).

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the deal would be completed in the "near future."

Sarver announced his intention to sell the Suns and Mercury in September amid massive public pressure from fans, NBA players and sponsors after an investigation found he used racial slurs, made sexist comments, mistreated employees and presided over a hostile work environment during his ownership tenure.

Commissioned by the NBA, the independent investigation conducted by the Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz law firm found Sarver used the N-word on at least five occasions despite being told by other employees his use of the word was inappropriate. He also made lewd sexual comments toward women, had inappropriate physical conduct with men in the workplace, engaged in inequitable treatment of women and bullied employees.

The NBA suspended Sarver for one year and fined him $10 million for his actions, but those punishments received an overwhelmingly negative reaction. There was almost unilateral agreement that the punishment did not fit the severity of Sarver's transgressions, with LeBron James, Chris Paul and Draymond Green criticizing the NBA for falling short.

behavior. I love this league and I deeply respect our leadership. But this isn’t right. There is no place for misogyny, sexism, and racism in any work place. Don’t matter if you own the team or play for the team. We hold our league up as an example of our values and this aint it.

— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 14, 2022

While the NBA could not force Sarver to sell, it became increasingly apparent the public pressure would not relent. PayPal, the team's jersey sponsor, said it would not renew its deal with the Suns if Sarver remained involved with the franchise after his suspension.

In his press release announcing his intent to sell the Suns and Mercury, Sarver blamed an "unforgiving climate" for his selling the team:

"As a man of faith, I believe in atonement and the path to forgiveness. I expected that the commissioner's one-year suspension would provide the time for me to focus, make amends and remove my personal controversy from the teams that I and so many fans love.

"But in our current unforgiving climate, it has become painfully clear that that is no longer possible—that whatever good I have done, or could still do, is outweighed by things I have said in the past."

Ishbia is the chairman and CEO of UWM Holdings, a Michigan-based mortgage lending company. According to Forbes, he has a net worth of $5.1 billion, which has dropped from $9.7 billion in 2021.

Basketball fans may recognize Ishbia's name from his time as a reserve on Michigan State's basketball team from 1999-00 to 2001-02. He was part of the Spartans' national championship roster in 2000.

Ishbia will almost certainly be an instant hit among Suns faithful, who were already disenchanted with Sarver's propensity for penny-pinching even before news of his actions became public. Many fans blame Sarver's frugal ownership style as the main reason the Seven Seconds or Less Suns never won a championship.

Some employees within the Phoenix Suns believe majority governor Robert Sarver wasn't the only person responsible for fostering a toxic environment within the organization, according to ESPN's Baxter Holmes.

One source told Holmes that Sarver "created the culture" and other high-ranking team executives "upheld it":

"In interviews with more than two dozen current and former Suns employees, ESPN confirmed specific accounts of alleged misconduct by [team president Jason Rowley] and other Suns executives in the report — and uncovered additional allegations, including verbal abuse of employees, mistreatment of pregnant and postpartum employees, and other instances of retaliation and intimidation."

The NBA commissioned the law firm of Wachtell Lipton to investigate the workplace atmosphere of the Suns after Holmes first published an in-depth report into the matter in November 2021.

The firm found that Sarver "engaged in conduct that clearly violated common workplace standards, as reflected in team and League rules and policies." That included using the N-word on at least five occasions, verbal mistreatment of employees and demonstrating "inequitable conduct toward female employees."

As a result of the inquiry, Sarver was fined $10 million and suspended from all league-related business for one year, a punishment many felt was too light given the severity of the allegations.

Amid continued scrutiny, the 61-year-old announced in September he planned to sell the Suns and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.

In general, Sarver was singled out for his behavior, but the Wachtell Lipton report alluded to issues beyond ownership:

"Many witnesses nonetheless expressed the view that Sarver was responsible for the problematic behavior of other employees and the HR department's defects because of the 'tone at the top' he set through his own conduct. This hypothesis is difficult to test, but it warrants mention because so many witnesses advanced it in such consistent terms. Many current and former executives and employees told investigators they believed Sarver's conduct had a trickle-down effect: he behaved poorly toward his direct reports, and those reports in turn felt they had license to mistreat their own reports."

In one example, a female employee told Wachtell Lipton she encountered resistance when trying to get her maternity leave approved. Shortly after returning to work, she was fired. Wachtell Lipton said that "male team executives tried to terminate the female employee while she was on leave" but chose to wait based on advice from a female supervisor.

According to Holmes, Rowley was one of the male executives who wanted to fire the employee while she was on leave.

Wachtell Lipton also cited an "institutional failure" in 2019 after a female employee reported having her buttocks grabbed by a representative of a team sponsor on a work trip. Not only did the Suns fail to take any action against the sponsor representative, despite the female employee reporting the incident, she also had to continue working at events with the representative.

Holmes reported that Rowley, chief revenue officer Dan Costello, general counsel Melissa Goldenberg and Kyle Pottinger, the senior vice president of ticket sales and service, were aware of the allegation.

In a statement to Holmes, the Suns said his reporting had "factual inaccuracies and/or [was] deprived of important context necessary to understand the totality of situations that are complicated and matters of some dispute."

In terms of potential consequences for powerful officials within the organization, Holmes cited one hurdle.

Per the ESPN report, interim governor Sam Garvin doesn't have the authority to unilaterally fire Rowley, Costello or chief financial officer Jim Pitman. Sarver's written approval is needed to make any changes to the roles of CEO, CRO and CFO.

The Suns issued a statement in response to the report:

#Suns statement in reaction to #ESPN report. pic.twitter.com/C0Gq0hjwi8

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 20, 2022

NBA spokesperson Mike Bass told Holmes the league is continuing to look into alleged employee misconduct within the Suns.

"Both the sales process of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury and the review of alleged misconduct by others at the organization are ongoing," he said. "That review will remain an internal personnel matter."

The shorthanded Phoenix Suns received more worrisome injury news during Tuesday's game against the Houston Rockets.

Phoenix announced big man Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and guard Cameron Payne (right foot) were ruled out for the remainder of the contest. Ayton played 15 minutes and was just 2-of-10 from the field, while Payne played eight minutes with nine points off the bench prior to the early departure.

The Suns were already without three-time All-Star Devin Booker because of left hamstring tightness.

Booker also missed Sunday's overtime loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

That loss to the Pelicans extended Phoenix's losing streak to four games and was the fifth loss in the last six contests following a blistering 15-6 start. The team is under the microscope this season after finishing the 2021-22 campaign with the best record in the NBA, only to lose in the second round of the playoffs to the Dallas Mavericks.

It is still far too early to panic, but losing Ayton, in particular, would be a blow for the struggling Suns.

The Arizona product is averaging 17.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game behind 63.2 percent shooting from the field this season. He is a double-double threat every time he steps on the floor and someone who can finish lobs from Chris Paul, control the glass and provide a solid interior presence on both ends.

As for Payne, he adds important backcourt depth during a season that has already seen Paul and Booker miss time.

The Murray State product, who consistently provides a spark off the bench, is averaging a career-high 12.8 points and 5.5 assists a night this season.

Look for Bismack Biyombo to see more time if Ayton is sidelined for long, while Landry Shamet will assume more of the responsibilities in the backcourt if Payne is out.

The Miami Heat are "expected to have a re-energized pursuit" of the Phoenix Suns' Jae Crowder, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.

Charania also reported the Suns discussed a possible three-team trade that would've sent Crowder to the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Atlanta Hawks have also shown interest in the 32-year-old forward.

Crowder has yet to suit up for Phoenix this season. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported in September he requested a trade when the team told him he might be falling out of the starting rotation.

Even though Cameron Johnson's knee injury created a void at power forward, Crowder has remained away from the Suns. As a result, a trade may be inevitable.

In October, Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reported some officials within the Heat "have even expressed confidence Miami is Crowder's preferred destination."

However, Ian Begley of SNY reported in November the Suns could request Max Strus to be included in the trade package, which might be too high an asking price for Miami.

There's also the fact the Heat would need to match Crowder's $10.2 million salary. That's easier said than done when they have seven players—Strus included—making less than $5 million this season.

Crowder has a lot of value for a contending team. He's a 34.6 percent career three-point shooter and has the ability to guard both forward positions.

Miami has already seen firsthand what he can provide. In 20 appearances with the team in 2019-20, he averaged 11.9 points and 5.4 rebounds while hitting 44.5 percent of his three-pointers in the regular season.

As Charania's report laid out, though, there's plenty of competition for Crowder, and unless he arranges a buyout with the Suns, Phoenix has the final say on where he winds up next.

The Milwaukee Bucks remain in discussion to acquire Jae Crowder from the Phoenix Suns, with Shams Charania of The Athletic reporting one potential three-way trade involving the Houston Rockets.

"Multiple league sources said the Suns recently engaged in three-team talks that would have sent Crowder to Milwaukee, four Bucks second-round draft picks along with players to Houston, and Eric Gordon and/or Kenyon Martin Jr. to Phoenix," Charania reported.

The Rockets have held up the trade because they are seeking at least a first-round pick for either Gordon or Martin. Gordon has also generated interest in other trades, while Houston doesn't want to deal Martin unless it gets a "very good first-rounder" in return.

Martin, a second-round pick in 2020, has emerged as a valuable part of the Rockets rotation while averaging 10.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. The 21-year-old is under contract through 2023-24 and could be a key part of the team's young core alongside Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and others.

Gordon could be more expendable as a 33-year-old with a nonguaranteed contract worth $20.9 million next season. The veteran is averaging 12.2 points per game, which would be a career low, although his experience could make him a useful contributor in the right location.

The Suns could certainly use the scoring depth after dealing with significant injuries this season. The 16-11 squad has its sights on a title and would benefit from adding a quality outside scorer with 55 career playoff games on his resume.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, has been engaging in discussions about Crowder since the start of the regular season, per Charania.

Crowder has not appeared in a game for Phoenix this season after a mutual agreement to find a deal, but the 32-year-old's two-way ability could provide a boost to the Bucks' rotation. The forward averaged 9.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 67 starts for the Suns last year.

There is still plenty of interest in Crowder around the league. Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus listed the Bucks, Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors as being among his suitors. The Dallas Mavericks have also discussed a potential deal, per Sean Deveney of Heavy.com.

Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul will return to the lineup Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics, according to Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes.

Paul, 37, is in his 19th NBA season, in which he has averaged 9.5 points, 9.4 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals for the Suns.

He's in his third season with the Suns, which have shined with the 12-time All-Star leading the way.

Their first year under Paul's leadership resulted in the team's first Western Conference title in 28 years. Their second season ended with an NBA-best 64-18 regular-season record, although the playoff run ended with an upset defeat to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round.

The third year has gone well, with the team starting 16-8 to lead the Western Conference.

Paul's shot hasn't been falling this year, though, with the Wake Forest product making just 36.8 percent of his shots and 27.3 percent of his three-pointers.

A sore right heel forced Paul out after he played 14 minutes against the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 7.

Cameron Payne started in the second half of the 76ers game, and Damion Lee also got extra minutes off the bench as well.

With Paul out, Payne was the clear starting point guard, with Lee getting some more work and guard Landry Shamet likely receiving more playing time as well.

Paul's return will be a much-needed boost to the offense, but it would be a surprise to see him get a full workload.