NBA Rumors: Jamal Crawford Ideal Fit for Phoenix Suns

Reports are indicating that the Phoenix Suns are planning to target Jamal Crawford in the offseason, and it sounds like the interest may be mutual.

Crawford has a player-option to return to the Portland Trail Blazers next season that would pay him $5 million, but he's expected to opt out and look for a better situation on the free-agent market.

Portland's electric shooting guard was linked to the Minnesota Timberwolves prior to the trade deadline, but any potential deal fizzled.

Meanwhile, today's Trail Blazers hardly resemble the team Crawford signed up for. Respected veterans Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby were traded in an effort to rebuild the roster through the draft. That may well work out for an otherwise youthful squad led by talented forwards LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum.

Crawford's veteran stability would be appreciated to be sure, but that doesn't mean he has any interest sticking around a highly unpredictable situation in a locker room led by young rookie interim-coach Kaleb Canales. That's not appealing to anyone, much less a veteran approaching the twilight of his career.

The Phoenix Suns aren't exactly a contender, but there are lot of reasons to like this potential match.

For any player in his 30s, the revered medical staff in Phoenix is reason alone to head for the desert—just ask oldies like Steve Nash and Grant Hill.

The Suns should also be in a position to pay Crawford pretty well. The opportunity alone for the 32-year-old to secure a long-term, lucrative deal will be hard to pass up—especially when he could get a significant raise from the $5 million he was set to make next year.

If the Suns don't re-sign Steve Nash or Grant Hill, they could have over $20 million to spend on retaining their veterans or bringing in new talent to surround Crawford, and perhaps more if Phoenix opts to amnesty someone like Josh Childress.

That's some nice walking-around money for a team that has some nice pieces to build around, including much-improved center Marcin Gortat.

Phoenix could either make a push to sign Nash, match any offers to restricted free agent Aaron Brooks or make a run at free-agent options like former-Sun Goran Dragic. In any case, Crawford should have a solid backcourt partner with whom to work.

From the Suns' perspective, going after Crawford is a bit of a no-brainer. Whether or not Phoenix retains Shannon Brown, Crawford is a proven commodity and supremely capable of creating his own shot from the perimeter and mid-range alike.

Jared Dudley is a fine player, but his game consists primarily of spotting up or driving the baseline. Michael Redd has given the Suns more than anyone expected, but who knows how long that will last?

Crawford brings an offensive versatility to the table and a wealth of experience starting and coming off the bench. He'd also make his teammates better, deterring opposing coaches from double-teaming Gortat thanks to his talent on the perimeter.

This is a win-win situation if there ever was one; a change of scenery that may be destined to happen.