NBA Rumors: Suns Interested in Trade for Hornets' Jalen McDaniels Ahead of Deadline

The Phoenix Suns are reportedly among the teams that have expressed interest in trading for Charlotte Hornets forward Jalen McDaniels ahead of the February 9 deadline.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium said McDaniels could land in Phoenix as part of a deal that involves Jae Crowder, who has not played for the Suns this season over displeasure with his contract.

McDaniels, 24, is averaging 10.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game as part of a career-best season. He's on pace to set career highs in all three of the aforementioned stats while also knocking down his most threes and playing solid defense on the perimeter.

"He definitely fit perfect (here). He's long, he can switch 1 through 5, he can get in the lane and he can run with me. He's a great teammate to play with for sure," Hornets guard LaMelo Ball said, per Israel Omondi of Sports Illustrated.

The Hornets exploring a trade for McDaniels is an interesting decision but may be an indication of their lack of willingness to pay him this summer. The 2019 second-round pick will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and won't lack in suitors as teams continue to prioritize three-and-D talent.

If the Hornets don't think they'll be able to sign him when he reaches the open market, making a move before the deadline and perhaps landing a protected first-round pick could make some sense.

The Suns would likely slot McDaniels into the role previously played by Crowder, who has done nothing to help his value by sitting out this season. By this point in the campaign, Crowder is more of a distressed asset than actual trade piece the Suns can use to acquire a solid replacement.