Report: Jae Crowder, Suns Agree Forward Won't Participate in Camp amid Trade Pursuit
Veteran forward Jae Crowder's time with the Phoenix Suns is set to come to an end.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Crowder and the Suns mutually agreed to seek a trade, and he will not participate in training camp for the time being.
This comes after ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on Monday that the Suns were "very active" in searching for Crowder trade suitors.
Crowder took to social media on Sunday to let fans know it was time for him to take on "another challenge":
The three-and-D specialist has played for seven teams over his 10-year career.
Crowder is set to make $10.2 million this season in the final year of a three-year, $29.2 million deal. He averaged 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 67 games for a Suns team that finished with the best record in the league at 64-18 last season. He can still be an effective contributor for a title contender, and it appears that he already has a destination in mind.
Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press reported that Crowder would welcome a return to the Miami Heat, though he doesn't have control over where he will end up. He played 20 games for the Heat in 2019-20 after being acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a three-team trade. Also, Miami star Jimmy Butler was Crowder's college teammate at Marquette, so it's no surprise that he's interested in a reunion.
While losing Crowder will subtract from Phoenix's core, it could give the team an opportunity to elevate a young player like Cameron Johnson. The 26-year-old averaged 12.5 points and shot 42.5 percent from three-point range while mostly filling a bench role last season, but he showed signs of a breakout as his usage increased. Crowder's absence could open the door for Johnson to take the next step in his fourth NBA season.
