Phoenix Suns Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Jae Crowder To Sit Out Camp As Suns Seek Trade

September 25th, 2022 at 4:47pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

4:47pm: The Suns have confirmed in a press release that Crowder will sit out training camp. Crowder also responded with a brief message on Twitter.

“One must seek work where he is wanted… where he is needed!” Crowder wrote. “I am thankful for what these past two years have taught me. Now, I must take on another challenge with continued hard work and dedication. For those of you who closed the door on me… Thank you! 99 back soon!”

4:00pm: Jae Crowder and the Suns are hoping to find a trade for the veteran forward, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 6’6″ forward will sit out Phoenix’s training camp as he and the Suns explore potential deals, Charania adds.

Fresh off a 2020 NBA Finals run as the Heat’s 3-and-D starting power forward, Crowder inked a three-year, $29.2MM deal with the Suns ahead of the 2020/21 season.

With Phoenix, Crowder made his second straight NBA Finals appearance in 2021 as the team’s starting power forward. Last year, he started all of his 67 healthy games with the club, which finished with a league-leading 64-18 record. For the 2021/22 season, Crowder averaged 9.4 PPG on .399/.348/.789 shooting splits, plus 5.3 RPG, 1.9 APG, and 1.4 SPG.

A deal involving Crowder had been rumored in recent weeks. Earlier this weekend, the 32-year-old tweeted an ominous post declaring that he would be absent from training camp before ultimately deleting the message.

Sharpshooting 6’8″ reserve power forward Cameron Johnson, the No. 11 pick out of North Carolina in 2019, emerged last year as a reliable scoring threat for Phoenix off the bench. The team could be looking to shore up its depth elsewhere in a potential Crowder deal, while elevating the 26-year-old Johnson to a starting role that seemed inevitable sooner rather than later.

Suns Sign Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot

September 24th, 2022 at 2:12pm CST by JD Shaw

The Suns have signed free agent forward Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, the team announced in a press release today. Phoenix also formally confirmed the signing of Frank Jackson, who reportedly inked a non-guaranteed contract with the team.

Luwawu-Cabarrot averaged 4.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 13.2 minutes per game with the Hawks last season. The terms of his agreement with Phoenix are unknown, but the 24-year-old carries six years of NBA experience.

Before joining Atlanta, Luwawu-Cabarrot made stops with the Sixers, Thunder, Bulls and Nets. He was drafted No. 24 overall by Philadelphia in 2016 after playing four professional seasons in France and Serbia.

Luwawu-Cabarrot recently helped France to a silver-medal finish at EuroBasket 2022. Phoenix’s roster now stands at 18 players, which includes two-way players Duane Washington Jr. and Ish Wainright.

Pacific Notes: Crowder, Wall, Lakers, Kings

September 24th, 2022 at 9:42am CST by Rory Maher

Suns forward Jae Crowder tweeted and deleted “99 won’t be there!” in reply to a Duane Rankin article about training camp questions, notes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link). The Suns are rumored to be exploring the trade market for the veteran, with Crowder said to be interested in a return to the Heat, though that would be tricky, at least for now, due to salary-matching rules.

In 67 games (28.1 MPG) with the Suns last season, all starts, the 32-year-old averaged 9.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.9 APG and 1.4 SPG on .399/.348/.789 shooting. While his long-range shooting is inconsistent, Crowder remains a solid defender and smart passer on a reasonable $10.2MM expiring deal.

Here’s more from the Pacific:

Clippers guard John Wall recently opened up about his personal struggles the past few years in an article for The Players Tribune. Wall contemplated suicide after a series of traumatic events, including tearing his Achilles tendon, an infection from the subsequent surgeries that nearly caused his foot to be amputated, and losing his mother to breast cancer. Wall details how close he was to his mother, whom he calls his “best friend in the whole world.”
Every member of the Lakers‘ roster except for Dennis Schröder attended a players-led minicamp in San Diego on Friday, sources tell ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter links). Schröder was unable to attend due to logistical reasons — he’s still organizing a move back to L.A., per McMenamin. The veteran point guard has been quite busy recently. He signed a one-year deal to return to the Lakers last week and finished competing for Germany at EuroBasket last weekend.
James Ham of The Kings Beat breaks down the Kings‘ depth at center entering training camp. Domantas Sabonis and Richaun Holmes figure to see the majority of the minutes at the five, and new head coach Mike Brown might experiment with playing them together at times, Ham writes.

Suns Pursued Bogdanovic, But Jazz Balked At Including Vanderbilt

September 23rd, 2022 at 5:36pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns were reportedly pursuing forward Bojan Bogdanovic, but they also wanted Jarred Vanderbilt in the deal and the Jazz balked at including the athletic big man, causing the trade talks to break down, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (Twitter link). Tony Jones of The Athletic confirmed Gambadoro’s report, tweeting that the Jazz “highly value” the young power forward.

Utah ended up trading Bogdanovic to Detroit for Kelly Olynyk and Saben Lee in a cost-cutting move instead, which was pretty surprising both because of the destination and the return package — many thought Bogdanovic would fetch draft compensation.

Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune reported yesterday that Utah had late first-round pick offers for the veteran sharpshooter, but the proposals also included longer-term salaries, so the team chose to maintain financial flexibility instead. Within her analysis of the trade, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News alluded to the fact that the Jazz had proposals for Bogdanovic that also included young players, but the Jazz “didn’t want to part ways with some of the players that they see as part of their future.”

According to Jones (Twitter link), the draft compensation Phoenix offered wasn’t enticing enough for Utah to give up both Bogdanovic and Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt is a unique and solid role player on a reasonable contract, Jones observes. The 23-year-old has a cap hit of $4,374,000 in 2022/23, and next year’s $4,698,000 cap hit is only partially guaranteed at $300K.

The Jazz acquired Vanderbilt from the Wolves in the Rudy Gobert trade. In 74 games with Minnesota last season, including 67 starts (25.4 MPG), he averaged 6.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG and 1.3 SPG while shooting 58.7% from the floor and 65.6% from the line.

Vanderbilt is an excellent rebounder, a strong, versatile defender, and plays with tremendous energy, but is a limited offensive player. Considering his age, production and contract, it’s understandable why the Jazz would be reluctant to part with him.

Heat Notes: Crowder, Days, Offseason, Haslem

September 23rd, 2022 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran forward Jae Crowder would welcome a return to the Heat, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. However, even though the Suns are said to be exploring Crowder’s trade market, a deal that sends him from Phoenix to Miami will be tricky to work out.

As Jackson writes, the Suns probably have zero interest in taking on Duncan Robinson‘s pricey long-term contract, and any other players the Heat could realistically use as salary-matching pieces in a Crowder trade aren’t eligible to be dealt until December or January. On top of that, Jackson would be surprised if Miami is willing to give up a future first-round pick to acquire Crowder, a 32-year-old on an expiring contract.

Here’s more on the Heat:

The Spurs were surprised when Darius Days signed a two-way contract with the Heat, according to Jackson, who says San Antonio had hoped to bring Days to training camp and have him compete for a two-way spot. One other team besides the Spurs offered Days a two-way deal, but the undrafted rookie out of LSU chose the Heat in part due to their track record of developing young talent, Jackson explains.
In another story for The Miami Herald, Jackson revisits the Heat’s offseason moves – including their decision not to go into the tax or to impose a hard cap on themselves – and wonders if it might’ve made sense for the team to offer its bi-annual exception to T.J. Warren to address its hole at power forward. Warren ended up signing a minimum-salary contract with Brooklyn.
Longtime Heat big man Udonis Haslem believes he’s “very qualified” to be part of the franchise’s ownership group and has already started talking to team executives about eventually getting a stake in the Heat, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “It will continue to rev up,” Haslem said of those discussions. “I’m going to continue to have them. I’m very ambitious and I’ve been creating a lot of the communication. But they’ve been receptive.” Haslem added that he wants to “learn everything from ticket sales to marketing” and be the sort of owner who brings value to the club.
In a separate article for The Herald, Chiang examines five preseason questions facing the Heat, including whether Tyler Herro will sign a rookie scale extension by the October 17 deadline and whether Kyle Lowry can set himself up for a strong second season in Miami.

Suns Notes: Purchase Price, Sarver, Roster, Rowley

September 22nd, 2022 at 11:47pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Now that Suns majority owner Robert Sarver has officially announced his intention to sell the team following a year-long investigation into decades of workplace misconduct, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic examines how much a desirable, championship-caliber NBA franchise like the Suns might cost a potential buyer. Sarver will also be selling the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury.

According to Vorkunov, an “early high-end estimate” for the Suns and Mercury could be $3 billion or more. As Vorkunov explains, there are several factors that could push the sale price well beyond the latest valuations (around $1.8 or $1.9 billion), including a belief that the big-market team hasn’t been run especially well under Sarver. As the controlling owner for both clubs, Sarver will earn the biggest slice of the pie, whatever its ultimate price turns out to be.

There’s more out of Phoenix:

Though the departure of Sarver is an encouraging step for the Suns and the league at large, Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated writes that, because he’s ultimately departing without being forced by the league’s other owners and is set to become potentially billions of dollars richer in his exit, the disgraced team owner’s “punishment” doesn’t feel like real justice.
The Suns will have some issues to address on the court this season beyond the off-court Sarver drama that is now mostly behind them, opines David Aldridge of The Athletic. Potential chemistry issues between head coach Monty Williams and re-signed starting center Deandre Ayton and the disappointing playoff finishes of All-Star guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker are the chief puzzles facing the team itself heading into the 2022/23 season. Phoenix will have to contend with a crowded Western Conference this year, and will face an uphill battle to return to the NBA Finals.
Suns CEO Jason Rowley addressed staff members during a conversation with all the team’s employees on Wednesday, reports Baxter Holmes of ESPN. Rowley indicated during the call that interim governor Sam Garvin would stay on in that position while the sale of the team was underway, and that Sarver would have no involvement with anyone in the organization, per the terms of the one-year suspension. “I’m beyond happy, I’m empowered and I’m motivated to continue to ensure that all of the men in that organization still in power who upheld this culture are rooted out,” said one Suns employee who took part in the investigation that would ultimately lead to Sarver’s decision to sell.

Pacific Notes: Sarver, Sale Reaction, Lakers, Kings

September 21st, 2022 at 6:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

Robert Sarver has announced his intention to sell the Suns and the NBA’s Phoenix Mercury, but it’s not likely to be a fast process, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Sources tell Shelburne that it could take months to go through the process of getting a new ownership group in place. Sarver has been suspended for a full year, so vice chairman and minority owner Sam Garvin will continue to run the team until a sale is complete.

Although Sarver only owns about one-third of the franchise, he has the authority to sell the team because of his role as managing partner, sources tell Baxter Holmes of ESPN (Twitter link). Sarver, who has owned the Suns since 2004, is expected to profit significantly from the sale, with the potential price possibly topping $2 billion.

Appearing on NBA Today (video link), Holmes relayed a statement from one Suns staff member that read, “To be honest it just felt like justice! Like we can finally heal and know we won’t be working under that type of leadership. I swear there will be tears when senior executives are held accountable!”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA president CJ McCollum have both endorsed Sarver’s choice. “I fully support the decision by Robert Sarver to sell the Phoenix Suns and Mercury,” Silver tweeted shortly after Sarver’s announcement. “This is the right next step for the organization and community.” McCollum echoed those thoughts in his statement, writing, “We thank Mr. Sarver for making a swift decision that was in the best interest of our sports community.”
The Lakers‘ trade talks with the Pacers continued this week, but they’re not willing to meet Indiana’s demand of two unprotected first-round picks, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link). The Pacers have been seen as a possible destination for Russell Westbrook, with L.A. hoping to land Myles Turner and Buddy Hield in return. The Lakers only have two first-rounders that they can offer — in 2027 and 2029 — and Charania expects the team to be cautious about moving them. He points out that L.A. has a “long runway” with Westbrook and can wait to see how the season plays out rather than rushing into a deal. Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said earlier today that Turner will be with the team when the season begins.
Kings general manager Monte McNair has constructed this year’s roster around two players on their second NBA contracts, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, notes James Ham of Kings Beat. Ham says it’s a welcome change from continually trying to build the franchise around young prospects.

Robert Sarver To Seek Buyer For Suns

September 21st, 2022 at 11:42am CST by Luke Adams

Suns owner Robert Sarver has begun the process of seeking a buyer for his NBA franchise, as well as the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, he announced today in a statement.

Following the recent conclusion of an investigation into allegations made by current and former Suns employees, Sarver received a one-year suspension and was fined $10MM for workplace misconduct, including racist and misogynistic comments.

In today’s statement, Sarver said that his remarks and actions, as described in that investigation, now overshadow the work he has done with the Suns, the Mercury, and professional basketball in Phoenix.

“I do not want to be a distraction to these two teams and the fine people who work so hard to bring the joy and excitement of basketball to fans around the world,” Sarver said. “I want what’s best for these two organizations, the players, the employees, the fans, the community, my fellow owners, the NBA and the WNBA. This is the best course of action for everyone.”

While Sarver claimed that he “deeply” regrets the comments he made to employees and plans to “work on becoming a better person,” the statement also paints him as a victim — he expressed disappointment that he wouldn’t be able to “make amends” and return to the Suns following his one-year ban.

“In our current unforgiving climate, it has become painfully clear that that is no longer possible – that whatever good I have done, or could still do, is outweighed by things I have said in the past,” Sarver said. “For those reasons, I am beginning the process of seeking buyers for the Suns and Mercury.”

The one-year suspension and $10MM fine levied against Sarver by the NBA was widely viewed as insufficient, with stars like LeBron James and Suns guard Chris Paul among those who expressed a belief that the league’s sanctions fell short. NBPA executive director Tamika Tremaglio subsequently stated that the players’ union felt as if Sarver should be banned from the league for life.

There was concern that imposing an indefinite ban on Sarver or attempting to force him out as the Suns’ owner would open the door to an ugly legal battle for the NBA. Sarver’s decision to willingly sell the franchise should bail out the league and his fellow owners, who would have had to vote to remove him if the NBA attempted to force him to sell.

Even if Sarver feels has no other choice but to sell, he stands to financially benefit in a major way. He bought the Suns for $401MM in 2004. Recent estimates from Forbes and Sportico projected the current value of the franchise at approximately $1.8-1.9 billion.

Those valuations have historically undershot a team’s true value, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Suns ultimately sell for $2 billion or more. As Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets, league executives have long felt that Phoenix – a warm-weather destination not far from the West Coast – could become a “monster” free agent destination with the right ownership group in place.

Frank Jackson Signs With Suns

September 21st, 2022 at 6:44am CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 21: Jackson officially signed with the Suns on Tuesday, per RealGM’s NBA transaction log.

SEPTEMBER 20: The Suns are signing free agent guard Frank Jackson to a non-guaranteed contract, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Jackson, 24, has five years of NBA experience, though he missed his entire rookie season due to a foot injury. He was an early second-round pick in 2017 and spent his first three NBA seasons with the Pelicans. He played the last two seasons with the Pistons.

Jackson averaged 9.8 PPG in 40 games during his first season in Detroit and made 40.7% of his 3-point tries. He averaged a career-best 10.6 PPG in 53 games last season but his 3-point shooting cratered to 30.8%.

He became a free agent in late June when Detroit declined its $3.15MM option on Jackson’s contract. He’ll now get a chance to make the Suns’ roster.

The Suns only had 16 players under contract, including a pair of two-way players, so they can be expected to make more roster moves before training camp with camp rosters maxing out at 20.

Suns Rumors: Crowder, Payroll, Bogdanovic, Johnson

September 20th, 2022 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

As team owner Robert Sarver begins serving his year-long ban from the NBA, the Suns‘ front office continues to explore ways to upgrade the team’s roster before the regular season gets underway. Appearing on ESPN’s NBA Today (video link), Brian Windhorst confirmed that the Suns are active in trade discussions, with many of those talks involving forward Jae Crowder.

“(They’ve been) very active within this last week. They are conducting business, they’re in trade negotiations right now. A lot of them are centered around Jae Crowder,” Windhorst said. “Jae Crowder is a player who is available on the market right now. Whether or not there’s going to be a deal for him that materializes between now and next week’s trade deadline, we’ll have to wait and see.”

Obviously, this season’s trade deadline won’t arrive until February, but Windhorst may be suggesting that the Suns will see if they can get something done before training camps begin.

Crowder, whose name has been mentioned in trade rumors off and on throughout the offseason, is in the final year of his current contract. The 32-year-old will earn approximately $10.2MM in 2022/23 before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Here’s more on the Suns:

Sources who have spoken recently to Windhorst don’t get the sense that the Suns are unwilling to increase their payroll by taking back more salary than they send out in a trade. General manager James Jones and his front office won’t be bringing deals directly to Sarver to approve this season, but interim governor Sam Garvin presumably has a sense of how much the Suns owner is prepared to spend on the roster. Team salary is already well above the luxury tax line.
While Windhorst doesn’t explicitly confirm any specific trade targets for the Suns, he says he wouldn’t be surprised if the team makes a play for Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic. Phoenix’s interest in Bogdanovic has been previously reported, though a handful of teams are believed to be eyeing the veteran, who is on an expiring deal.
Windhorst also confirms that the Suns are engaged in rookie scale extension talks with sharpshooter Cameron Johnson. The two sides have until October 17 to reach a deal. If Johnson hasn’t signed an extension by that point, he’ll be on track for restricted free agency in 2023.