NBA Trade Rumors: Phoenix Suns interested in trading Jae Crowder to Utah Jazz for Jordan Clarkson
Jae Crowder, Phoenix Suns forward who helped the team into the 2021 Western Conference finals, is reportedly on the trading block. The Suns have expressed their interest in acquiring Jordan Clarkson.
Phoenix is hoping to utilize the ball-handling skills of the 30-year-old Utah Jazz guard to complement Chris Paul and Devin Booker. Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer wrote that the team was looking to add a scoring guard.
Jordan Clarkson is not the most prominent difference maker on the court, but having more depth behind Paul and Booker would help the Suns. With Crowder leaving, the Phoenix Suns would be lacking in size. However, this trade would increase their speed and ball handling.
Report: Phoenix Suns interested in acquiring Jordan Clarkson in exchange for Jae Crowder ahnfiredigital.com/nba/phoenix-su…
Will the Phoenix Suns miss their veteran big?
Jae Crowder finished last season averaging 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. The difference Crowder makes, however, is usually off the ball. Crowder is a strong defender. Crowder has held his own against LeBron James.
Crowder’s most notable moment on Phoenix was arguably his inbounding play in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. With 0.9 seconds on the clock, Crowder inbounded the ball behind the baseline to Ayton for a game-winning alley-oop. The Suns ultimately lost in Game 6 of that series. At the time, Crowder was the only player on the team with any Finals experience.
Last season, the Phoenix Suns finished with a franchise record 64-18 record before losing in the second round of the playoffs. The Suns lost to the Dallas Mavericks in seven games. Luka Doncic and company proved to be too much for them.
Jordan Clarkson finished last season averaging 16.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He contributes more scoring than Crowder, but do the Phoenix Suns need more offense? The Suns will likely miss Crowder's ability to guard bigger wings and stretch fours.
Clarkson’s speed and efficiency will help Phoenix keep their pace up during big moments in the game. This fast-paced offense is a difference-maker for the Suns.
The Utah Jazz have been focusing on a rebuild. They may want to move on from Clarkson. Meanwhile, Crowder can offer their rebuilding squad some veteran knowledge.
If Clarkson is obtained, the Suns may look to add another strong defender in their frontcourt. It's a simple trade-off of defense and size for speed and scoring. The Suns' front office will have to decide if one outweighs the other with their current roster. It may also be a good choice for the Suns to add another guard to keep Booker and Paul fresh for the playoffs.