The Lowe Post Builds Hypothetical Trades for Jae Crowder
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By now, you know the story: The Phoenix Suns are going to trade power forward Jae Crowder.
Where Crowder goes and what the Suns may be getting in return is anybody's guess right now, but the good folks of Zach Lowe and Bobby Marks hopped on the most recent episode of "The Lowe Podcast" and gave their different ideas for hypothetical deals and teams for Crowder.
"I will be absolutely blown away if Phoenix adds salary, nets adds in this trade. I expect them to net minus and I will be especially blown away if they add any to too much long-term salary. I expect this trade, whatever it is, to reduce their payroll," said Lowe.
Bobby Marks points out three things the Suns will be looking for:
1. Early Bird Rights (to exceed the cap to re-sign them).
2. Length left on contract (not just a one year expiring deal)
3. Players within the salary range of $7-8 million (to help lower luxury tax total)
In total, the guys mentioned roughly ten teams who may be able to make a deal work with Phoenix:
Indiana Pacers
"I said hey, what about Indiana? If you're Indiana, and you're Phoenix, it might be a little steep. Like a T.J. McConnell, Oshae Brissett-type package as far as what Phoenix would get back with Crowder. Maybe you put two second's (second-round picks) in the deal."- Marks
Miami Heat
"There's no sweet-spot contracts, there's no $5-6 million guys except Tyler Herro because everyone else can't be traded, and then you're looking at expanding the deal, basically adding 3-4 players in a deal and I don't see that right now."- Marks
Cleveland Cavaliers
"I tried to find a Cleveland one because I do feel like Cleveland needs another guy … Do they have the big wing everybody needs deep in the playoffs? Is Isaac Okoro gonna make enough shots? I just couldn't find one unless you're trading out Cedi Osman and I don't know if that's a straight-up trade. Is somebody throwing in seconds? "- Lowe
Philadelphia 76ers
"How about this: If they got nothing, if they're struggling, you can't have enough guys like Jae Crowder, right? Everybody needs the 3.5 guys, from the 2.5 to the 4. If you're Philly, do you just say, 'Hey, would you take Georges Niang, Furkan Korkmaz and like three second-round picks for Jae Crowder? Can you sell that to Chris Paul and Devin Booker? ... I just don't know if you can sell that. If I'm the 76ers, I'm making that call."- Lowe
Chicago Bulls
"I tried to build one with Chicago, with Derrick Jones Jr. and Coby White coming, I just couldn't find one that I really liked and did enough for the Suns. I think their could be something there but I didn't find it."- Lowe
Memphis Grizzlies
"I tried to build one with Memphis around Dillon Brooks but I just think Dillon Brooks is probably a little better than Jae Crowder? Similar players, one's nominally a 2, one's nominally a 4 but they're kind of similarly built. Both on expiring (deals), both haven't gotten extended. I could just see that one devolving into, 'Well, who sends a pick and how many?' and then, 'Well can I expand it by throwing Danny Green in?' and then it just fell apart."- Lowe
New Orleans Pelicans
"I thought about New Orleans- I couldn't find a good deal for New Orleans. I thought, 'Would they do Larry Nance for Jae Crowder? No, I don't think they would', I just think Larry Nance fits what they (New Orleans) needs better than Jae Crowder."- Lowe
Milwaukee Bucks
"Here's a sneaky one for you Bobby: The Milwaukee Bucks. (They) have kind of been searching for PJ Tucker 2.0 since they let PJ Tucker go, this is the closest thing. We're talking about the guys who have played power forward for the Heat for the last 2-3 years. Grayson Allen for Jae Crowder? I don't have enough there if I'm Phoenix, I may just say that replicates stuff I already got. The Bucks will look though, I bet. The Bucks were sneakily kind of sniffing around Jerami Grant in Detroit before Portland swooped in. I think they liked the idea of the switchable guys."- Lowe
Boston Celtics
"I thought about Boston in the wake of [Danilo] Gallinari's injury and Robert Williams' injury, just adding another guy. I thought about Gallo [Gallinari] and Payton Pritchard and some second-round picks. Didn't really like it enough for either team. That's an interesting one."- Lowe
Atlanta Hawks
"Jae Crowder. Landry Shamet. Dario Saric. Two unprotected Phoenix picks, maybe another draft asset that we can debate about, to Atlanta for John Collins and Moe Harkless *Harkless was traded prior to this episode of the podcast*"- Lowe
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