Phoenix Suns

Having lost six of their last seven games and fallen to 10th place in the Eastern Conference, the Washington Wizards could have some big decisions to make looking ahead to the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 9.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Kyle Kuzma has caught the attention of several teams, including the Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns, if Washington decides to move on from the 27-year-old forward.

There have been rumblings about widespread interest in Kuzma for some time. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on his podcast last week (starts at 47:40 mark) that executives on opposing teams have heard "they're trying to get Kuzma out of Washington."

Charania reported last month the Suns have expressed interest in multiple forwards, including Kuzma, Harrison Barnes and KJ Martin.

Phoenix continues to be in the market for another shooter as it explores trades involving Jae Crowder.

The Hawks have a potential trade chip to dangle in front of Washington if they want to go after Kuzma. John Collins has seemingly been on the block for years, but he remains in Atlanta for the time being.

According to Charania, the Wizards "have shown interest" in Collins and they "seriously discussed a potential deal" for the 25-year-old last offseason.

Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard told Charania that Kuzma "has so much more room to grow" as a player and "we’re really excited for his future growth here."

Kuzma's contract pays him $13 million this season and includes a $13 million player option for 2023-24. He is averaging career highs in scoring average (20.6 points per game), rebounds (7.7) and assists (3.6) in 23 starts.

This marks the second consecutive season the Wizards have fallen off after a hot start. They were 10-3 through 13 games in 2021-22 but finished 25-44 over their final 69 games to miss the playoffs.

Washington was 10-7 after a 106-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 20. The team is now 11-13 overall in the midst of its recent rough stretch.

The Wizards haven't made the playoffs in three of the previous four seasons. They haven't won a postseason series since the 2016-17 season.

As Jae Crowder remains on the trade block, the Washington Wizards have reportedly emerged as a potential suitor for the Phoenix Suns' estranged forward.

"There's been some chatter about them looking at a guy like Jae Crowder," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast Wednesday (h/t RealGM). "I'm pretty confident there's been some discussions between the Wizards and the Suns. We've been talking about Jae Crowder now for about two months. It's obvious it's a hard trade to pull off. The Wizards have a bunch of guys who make decent salaries on their roster they can use in a trade."

Windhorst added that the Suns are seeking a power forward in any Crowder deal, and the Wizards are fairly loaded at the position with Kyle Kuzma, Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija on the roster.

It seems unlikely Kuzma will be moved, as he's thriving this season, averaging 20.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, though he's shooting just 31.3 percent from three. He and Avdija (7.6 PPG, 5.1 APG) have largely served as the team's starting pair at forward, with Hachimura (11.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG) coming off the bench.

Crowder, 32, would give the Suns an injection of experience and scrappy defense. The veteran forward averaged 9.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last year in Phoenix, shooting 34.8 percent from three, but had a falling out with the team over the offseason.

Per Windhorst, "Crowder was informed over the summer that he may lose his starting job this season, sources said, and it prompted him to request a trade."

Crowder, for his part, denied those reports:

The irony is that the player he lost his job to, Cam Johnson, is now likely out until some point in 2023 after requiring surgery on his right meniscus.

But Windhorst reported earlier in November that "despite Johnson's injury, there is no change to the situation with Crowder, and there are no current plans for him to return to the team, sources said."

It appeared as though the Suns were getting closer to a trade in mid-November, with multiple reports suggesting talks had progressed.

Nothing has happened as of yet, however, though the Wizards reportedly are taking a closer look.

The Phoenix Suns may be close to ending the trade drama surrounding dormant forward Jae Crowder. The 32-year-old has not played this season, via mutual agreement, as Phoenix has attempted to flip him for a contributing role player.

According to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, the Suns were close to finalizing a deal earlier in the week:

Unless Phoenix has a "can't-miss" deal on the table, it should continue to exercise patience on the trade front. One big reason for this is that the Suns appear to have a shot at Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins.

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Collins is a player the Suns covet, with a caveat:

"The Hawks have opened up preliminary trade discussions around forward John Collins, as interested teams inquire, league sources tell The Athletic. The Suns are a team showing desire in Collins, those sources have added, but they appear uninclined to take on the long-term money of Collins, who is in the second season of a five-year, $125 million contract. The Hawks don’t have an imminent deal in place involving Collins, those sources say, and executives around the league believe a potential deal will be weeks and potentially months in the making ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline"

Collins is a logical trade target for Phoenix. He's a starting-caliber 25-year-old who is averaging 12.4 points and 7.9 rebounds this season. He would be an upgrade over Torrey Craig, and adding him would be the sort of win-now move that could help the Suns maximize whatever is left of Chris Paul's prime.

As Charania mentioned, however, Phoenix may not be eager to take on the entirety of Collins' contract. That deal, according to Spotrac, is set to pay him $25.3 million next season.

If the Suns are to move on Collins, they need to get the best deal possible—which means including as little trade capital outside of Crowder as possible.

Waiting until we're closer to the trade deadline could help in this regard. Charania reported back in October that the Hawks are interested in adding Crowder. Presumably, the Suns will find even more suitors near the deadline, as contending teams and desperate teams alike seek reinforcements.

A stronger market for Crowder can help provide Phoenix with leverage in trade talks. At the same time, more trade targets could emerge. Per Charania, the Suns have also looked into forwards like Harrison Barnes and Kyle Kuzma.

And Phoenix shouldn't be desperate to make a deal now. The Suns are 9-6 and near the top of the Western Conference standings. Paul's heel injury is somewhat concerning, but it's unlikely to sink the season. There's no need to force a knee-jerk trade right now.

Could the Suns fear missing out on Collins? Perhaps, but if they're indeed not sold on picking up his contract, that fear shouldn't be an impetus for a trade. Phoenix can and will find other trade options, and it's not as if the ability to move Crowder will suddenly disappear.

If the Suns do flip the switch on a Crowder trade in the immediate future—be it for Collins or someone else—it had better be in a deal that benefits the franchise in both the short and long terms.

Trading Crowder just to add a player who can contribute wouldn't provide maximum value. Neither would be overpaying to take on a contract that the franchise doesn't necessarily want over the next few years.

Of course, with the Suns' impending ownership chance potentially followed by a regime change, general manager James Jones and coach Monty Williams may be less concerned with the implications beyond the 2022-23 season.

This is why a trade may well come together quickly, even if the Suns can get themselves a better deal in a month or two.

Two of the Eastern Conference's top teams are reportedly considering making a run at disgruntled Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder via a trade.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, both the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks "have been engaged" with the Suns in trade negotiations focused on Crowder.

Crowder is in the final year of a three-year, $29 million contract, but he has not played at all this season amid the Suns attempts to find a trade partner.

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 reported in September that Crowder had officially requested a trade due largely to his desire for a contract extension that the Suns were unwilling to offer.

Gambadoro also reported that Crowder was told he would not start or finish games during the 2022-23 season, which contributed to his desire to play elsewhere.

Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes read a statement from Crowder last month in which Crowder said the "narrative" of him wanting to be traded because he wasn't a starter was "definitely not true."

Regardless of the circumstances, the relationship between Crowder and the Suns does indeed seem to be beyond repair, as Crowder hasn't been brought back even with forward Cameron Johnson landing on the shelf due to a knee injury.

Instead, Torrey Craig has entered the starting lineup and seen an uptick in minutes alongside Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges.

At 9-5, the Suns are tied for the second-best record in the Western Conference even without Crowder, and while he would provide a veteran boost, trading him away would also create space for Phoenix to make a separate trade further down the line.

Meanwhile, the Bucks are the No. 2 team in the Eastern Conference at 11-3, while the Hawks are in third at 9-6.

The Bucks are trending toward their seventh consecutive playoff appearance, and are just two seasons removed from beating the Suns in the NBA Finals behind the play of NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Milwaukee has gotten spectacular play out of Giannis, Brook Lopez and Jrue Holiday so far this season, and it is a clear championship contender even with Khris Middleton having yet to play a game due to a wrist injury.

The Hawks are looking to make their third straight playoff appearance on the back of guard Trae Young, who led them to a surprise trip to the Eastern Conference Finals two seasons ago.

While the Bucks are a veteran-laden team, the Hawks mostly lean on younger players like Young, Dejounte Murray, De'Andre Hunter, John Collins and others.

The 32-year-old Crowder, who averages 9.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 three-pointers made per game in 735 career regular-season games, and has appeared in 107 playoff games, would provide the Hawks with the type of big-game experience they need.

Regardless of who lands Crowder, a trade seems like a foregone conclusion, especially since it would finally allow the Suns to shift their focus toward acquiring a piece that can help them in their championship run.

The Phoenix Suns are reportedly in the market for role players.

While Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Phoenix is interested in acquiring John Collins from the Atlanta Hawks, he also noted it seems "uninclined to take on the long-term money" of his deal during his second season of a five-year, $125 million contract.

But Collins isn't the only player the Suns are interested in, as Charania reported Harrison Barnes of the Sacramento Kings, Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards and Kenyon Martin Jr. of the Houston Rockets are all on their radar.

Phoenix is in an unusual situation given that governor Robert Sarver is selling the team, and Charania suggested it remains "uncertain how many future assets the current regime can move" given the situation.

The NBA announced in September that an independent investigation found Sarver "engaged in conduct that clearly violated common workplace standards," which "included the use of racially insensitive language; unequal treatment of female employees; sex-related statements and conduct; and harsh treatment of employees that on occasion constituted bullying."

He was fined $10 million and suspended for one year.

On the court, the Suns are tied for second place in the Western Conference at 9-5. They finished with the best record in the league last season (64-18) but shockingly lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs.

Depth may be something of a concern, especially on the wing since Cameron Johnson is sidelined with a knee injury and Jae Crowder is yet to play this season. Charania noted "multiple teams" are interested in Crowder, who is "disgruntled" and looking for an exit.

Kuzma, Barnes and Martin would each improve that wing depth and provide a secondary scorer for Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. Kuzma is averaging 18.3 points in Washington, Barnes is posting 11.6 in Sacramento and Martin is posting 10.9 in Houston.

Kuzma and Barnes also have championship experience from their time on the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, respectively.

The Phoenix Suns are still looking to deal forward Jae Crowder, who has been inactive this season after he requested a trade in September.

And they reached out to the Miami Heat about a potential deal, Ian Begley of SNY reported Saturday:

"One trade that may happen sooner than Dec. 15? Jae Crowder getting moved in Phoenix. Crowder has been away from the team while the Suns canvas the league for potential deals.

"Miami is among the teams Phoenix has touched base with on a Crowder deal. Per SNY sources, some with Phoenix see Miami's Max Strus as an integral part of any return for Crowder. I'd assume that Miami would be reluctant to move Strus in a deal for Crowder."

The 26-year-old Strus is in his fourth NBA season. He's averaging career highs of 32.2 minutes, 14.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.8 steals per game with 44.7 percent shooting.

The 32-year-old Crowder, who has played 10 seasons, averaged 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game for the Suns last year. He started all 67 games he played.

There were murmurs that Crowder wanted a trade after being told he wouldn't start, but B/R's Chris Haynes relayed that Crowder said that was not true.

Crowder will be a free agent after this season. He would be a solid two-way asset for any team that acquires him, whether it be to start or come off the bench.

Strus emerged as a valuable piece for the Heat during the playoffs last year. He notably averaged 14.0 points per game in the team's first-round series win over the Atlanta Hawks. Strus also averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in the team's final two games of a second-round victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

He's remained an integral player this year as the fourth-highest scorer on the team. Like Crowder, Strus also will be a free agent after this season, but he's certainly a candidate to re-sign.

The Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly "called numerous teams about Grayson Allen’s trade prospects," according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Milwaukee has shown interest in Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder, potentially setting up a swap between the two teams, but Phoenix reportedly still has its eyes on other impact players.

Allen has started 10 games for the 10-1 Bucks, averaging 10.8 points and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 42.6 percent from three-point range.

With the Bucks currently ranking just 18th in three-point shooting at 35.2 percent, Allen's ability to stretch the floor is extremely valuable.

The former Duke star set a career high with 11.1 points per game last season in his first year with Milwaukee, starting 61 of the 66 games he played. The 6'4" guard shot 40.9 percent from beyond the arc last year and has a 39.5 percent career mark from three.

Even if the Bucks want to move on from Allen, it's clear he could have value for a contender thanks to his outside scoring ability.

After going to the playoffs with the Bucks, Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz during his short career, Allen is also battle-tested in big games.

Phoenix could use the scoring depth with Crowder not with the team and Cameron Johnson out with a knee injury. He would likely join Landry Shamet and Josh Okogie off the bench behind Chris Paul and Devin Booker in the backcourt.

Meanwhile, there are no shortage of teams that could use an added shooter as Milwaukee looks for upgrades in other areas.

Six weeks after announcing Jae Crowder wouldn't be with the team during training camp amid trade speculation, the Phoenix Suns are re-engaging in talks about dealing the veteran forward.

On The Hoop Collective Podcast (starts at 14:00 mark), ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported the Suns "have picked up" conversations about trading Crowder.

The news comes after Windhorst reported earlier this week that Cameron Johnson will miss one to two months after having surgery to remove part of his meniscus.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported on Sept. 25 that Crowder and the Suns agreed he wouldn't participate in training camp as the two sides worked on a trade.

That same day, Crowder sent out a tweet that indicated he didn't feel wanted by the Suns anymore:

Per John Gambadaro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, Crowder wanted an extension, but the Suns didn't feel inclined to give him a new deal. The 32-year-old also lost his spot in the starting lineup to Johnson.

Johnson has been a crucial part of Phoenix's starting five so far this season. The North Carolina alum was averaging 13.0 points per game and shooting 43.1 percent from three-point range in eight starts prior to his injury.

Charania reported on Oct. 24 that Phoenix has "been engaged in talks" with the Milwaukee Bucks about Crowder. The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat were also said to have interest.

Per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Heat officials believe their team is Crowder's preferred destination. He previously played with Miami for 20 games at the end of the 2019-20 season after being acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team trade.

Crowder originally signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Suns in November 2020. He has been an essential role player, averaging 9.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in 127 appearances over the past two seasons.

The Suns haven't skipped a beat without Crowder while compiling an 8-3 record. They rank in the top two in offensive and defensive rating, per Basketball-Reference.com.

The Phoenix Suns are suddenly very thin on the wing after Cameron Johnson underwent surgery Tuesday to remove part of the meniscus in his right knee, an injury that could keep him out for up to two months, per ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

That doesn't mean Jae Crowder will be returning to the team amid his desire to be traded, however. Per that report, "there is no change to the situation with Crowder, and there are no current plans for him to return to the team, sources said."

The two sides mutually agreed to pursue a trade for Crowder in late September, though the veteran wing pushed back on the narrative that losing his starting job to Johnson was the reason for his discontent:

"The business of basketball has taken its course, and changes have come," Crowder said in a statement to TNT's Chris Haynes. "I do not want to give the details just yet, but it's definitely not true of the narrative being pushed about me not starting or not. I can honestly say that."

It's more likely that the dispute comes down to money, with Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reporting in October that "with Crowder’s three-year, $29.1 million deal expiring at the conclusion of this 2022-23 campaign, the Suns, sources said, are unwilling to offer an extension of similar value that Crowder is once again commanding."

The standoff had already left the Suns with a gap in their rotation, but the added injury to Johnson now has the Suns turning to their bench for help on the perimeter.

Thus far, the team has managed the situation to the tune of a 7-3 record, but Torrey Craig is now in the starting lineup in place of Johnson, while Damion Lee, Landry Shamet and Josh Okogie should see their roles increase.

While Shamet and Lee were already fixtures in the lineup, Okogie should get the chance to prove he can produce in a limited role at the back of the rotation. It isn't ideal for the Suns, who may now have added incentive to find a new home for Crowder and bring back a serviceable player or two in the process.