Latest NBA Trade Deadline Rumors: Jae Crowder, Raptors, D'Angelo Russell, Kyrie Irving, More
In this week’s episode of The Fast Break Podcast, Fastbreak on FanNation NBA insider and reporter Brett Siegel is joined by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto to break down the latest news and rumors pertaining to Jae Crowder, D’Angelo Russell, the Toronto Raptors and more ahead of next week’s trade deadline.
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Jae Crowder’s Value & Possible Trade Scenarios [2:35]
Ever since the Phoenix Suns lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs a season ago, there has seemed to be a disconnect between Jae Crowder and the Suns. He was unhappy in the offseason and after the team decided to promote Cameron Johnson to the starting five in place of Crowder, the veteran forward requested a trade.
Over halfway through the 2022-23 season, Crowder remains on the roster in Phoenix, but with new ownership overtaking Robert Sarver’s power in trade talks, it does appear as if the Suns will be getting a deal done involving Jae Crowder ahead of this season’s trade deadline.
Brett and Mike talked about the possibility of Crowder being on the move and what a deal involving him could potentially look like [3:45].
Scotto: There has obviously been a lot of talk about the Milwaukee Bucks, the Atlanta Hawks as well, and there have been just so many different three-team constructs of trade talks with Phoenix regarding Jae Crowder. I am not sure if we see a dark-horse team come in, but Phoenix is not going to get true value for him anymore and Crowder is essentially a rental at this point if the team trading for him is not wanting to keep him long-term. I know the Miami Heat have also had interest as well, but Miami is not going to want to give up one of their key contributors like Caleb Martin. I think it is going to be tough for Phoenix to get good value and I will say this Brett, I know that Crowder was disappointed that Cameron Johnson was essentially given his starting role without having to compete for it in a contract year, but clearly he would have been better off coming off-the-bench and he would have ironically ended up being a starter for the Suns, helping his trade value in the process.
Siegel: You kind of mentioned the possibility of a third team getting involved in trade talks for Crowder. Let’s hypothetically say that Crowder ends up in Milwaukee. Would that be a deal that is just those two teams in the Bucks and Suns, or would a third team possibly be involved because Grayson Allen seems to be the player that always comes up in these trade discussions around the league in terms of the Bucks making a move. I know you mentioned a couple of times that the New York Knicks are a team that is interested in Allen.
Scotto: Yeah, I think there are a lot of different constructs that are being discussed. I think when it comes to Grayson Allen, the Knicks have tried to acquire him in talks with Cam Reddish, but Milwaukee has been reluctant to move him in those talks. Milwaukee, if anything, is trying to get Reddish for a 2023 second-round pick and then some salary fillers, so some potential guys you could look at there are Serge Ibaka and George Hill, who does have a relationship with Scott Perry given their time together with the Sacramento Kings. I'm not saying that is going to move a deal or not, but it is something to keep in the back of your head and connect some dots. Grayson is certainly a moveable piece for Milwaukee because of his contract. He’s played well this season though in any role that they have needed him in, so I do not think this is a scenario where the Bucks are going to just move Grayson Allen just to move him. It will be interesting to see if this all comes to fruition because the talks of the Bucks moving Allen for Crowder have been around for a while. I am of the belief that if something was to happen and there was interest from both sides, something would have happened already.
New York Knicks Trade Deadline Plans Including Immanuel Quickley [7:03]
Currently right in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks are looking to avoid the Play-In Tournament and get back to the playoffs.
Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett have made up a strong trio for this team to build with, but the Knicks are still lacking secondary talent and they will be looking to add value at the trade deadline in place of guys like Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, Cam Reddish and maybe even Immanuel Quickley, one of their better, younger trade assets.
With the Chicago Bulls likely holding onto Zach LaVine and the Washington Wizards not making Kyle Kuzma available in trade talks though, there are some question marks about who the Knicks could look to target.
Scotto [7:37]: Originally, the Knicks set the asking price on Quickley for a first-round pick and teams that I had spoken to were reluctant to give that up. I am not sure if Gary Trent Jr. is necessarily a Knicks target, especially being a Klutch Sports client and having that player option for next season. Trent has a player option for next season and a lot of executives that I have spoken with pegged him as the best trade target for the Raptors and are expecting him to opt out of his contract… I am not sure if Gary Trent Jr. to the Knicks is a real thing or not at this moment, but a lot of teams will be in on Trent since he is a good, young player.”
Gary Trent Jr., Fred VanVleet & The Toronto Raptors [8:20]
What the Toronto Raptors decide to do at this year’s trade deadline could very well dictate the pace at which teams make trades.
Jae Crowder trade talks are obviously at the forefront of everyone’s minds, but what the Raptors decide to do is the question front-offices around the league are asking themselves.
They do not seem to be in a position to contend in the postseason and with question marks surrounding the contracts of Gary Trent Jr. and Fred VanVleet, this trade deadline should determine the direction the Raptors go in moving forward [8:20].
Scotto: The biggest thing when talking with executives around the league right now is that there is no firm asking price from Toronto for any of their guys. The Raptors need to figure out the direction that they want to go because they have guys that are ready to win now in their primes in Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam. VanVleet is going to be an unrestricted free agent when he declines his player option and hits the market. He believes that he can get somewhere in the $30 million to $35 million range that is somewhere along the lines of Jrue Holiday money, so it will be interesting to see if he can get that from Toronto. VanVleet is their locker room leader and they really don’t have a backup point guard right now that is ready to take over for him like he did for Kyle Lowry.
Siegel: It is definitely going to be interesting to watch the Raptors because like you mention, Gary Trent Jr. is a Klutch Sports guy and Fred VanVleet with his contract coming up, he recently made a change at representation and is likely joining Klutch Sports as well. That is two guys from Klutch that could be on the market and we have seen the kind of deals that the agency has been able to negotiate before. They will undoubtedly be two hot names in the summer and in free agency.
D’Angelo Russell’s Trade Market & Future In Minnesota [10:16]
Trading for Rudy Gobert in the offseason has not seemed to work out for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season and now, heading towards the trade deadline, they will be evaluating D’Angelo Russell’s long-term future.
Russell is set to hit unrestricted free agency in the summer and given his inability to really rise to occasion consistently alongside Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves may feel inclined to move the former All-Star guard.
However, Russell’s market is very thin right now and Scotto talked about what the future may hold for the Timberwolves’ guard.
Scotto [11:10]: “I don’t know if there is a firm asking price for D’Angelo because a team can have an asking price, but that does not mean others will meet it. With Russell, in a way, his expiring contract and more importantly, his salary spot, is one of Minnesota’s best ways to reshape this team. They just got Rudy Gobert and he is not going anywhere whether the trade is a sunken cost or not. That trade was an overpay and anyone would say that at this point. With D’Angelo as far as teams, I had touch on things with Miami and they had those talks originally around the G League Showcase in Las Vegas. There are a lot of teams out there that are being linked to point guards. The Los Angeles Clippers with Mike Conley and Fred VanVleet; I don’t know if I would see D’Angelo as a fit on that team. Phoenix, there has been some speculation about what they would do in a post-Chris Paul state, but when Chris Paul is healthy, he’s still one of the top point guards in the NBA. I would not necessarily say this is a fit for Russell either, even though he is best friends with Devin Booker. To me, this is really just Minnesota seeing what is out there, gauging his value and going from there.”
Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets Extension Talks [14:25]
With Kevin Durant sidelined due to an MCL injury, Kyrie Irving has really stepped up for the Brooklyn Nets and while they have lost six of their last nine since Durant’s injury, Kyrie has kept things afloat.
Irving is in the final year of his contract and while a lot of controversy has surrounded him off-the-court in recent years, what he gives Brooklyn on-the-court is invaluable.
Recently, Kyrie’s mother-in-law, who is also his agent, came out and said that they are open to negotiating a new, long-term deal with the Nets, but that the decision is now in the hands of Brooklyn and whether or not they want to keep the All-Star guard long-term.
Mike talked about Kyrie’s impact to this organization and why he believes a deal will ultimately get done between the two sides, keeping Irving alongside Durant for the foreseeable future.
Scotto [15:14]: “My stance along with the stance of executives around the league and I think you can also say with the Brooklyn Nets as well is that both sides need each other at the end of the day. When Kyrie debated what to do with his player option last year, you know behind the scenes, first of all there was not a lot of cap space, but for a lot of teams, Kyrie Irving, as great of an individual talent he is, he can be a polarizing player for people around the league. For Brooklyn, when he has his head on and it is just about basketball, he is one of the elite players in this league and he and Kevin Durant form a great duo… I really believe the Nets want to go all-in on those guys this season, give it a shot and see how far they can go. They are never going to get equal trade value for him anyways, so when you look ahead to the offseason, I just think again that for both sides, it has always pointed to there being some sort of a continued partnership… There is a want from both sides to get a deal done and when there is a will, there is a way. There is still a lot that will happen, but I would expect Kyrie Irving to be back next season.”
