The Phoenix Suns have been looking to unload Jae Crowder all season long after the two sides had a contract dispute over the offseason. And while they have had consistent interest from teams throughout the start of the 2022-23 season, the Suns haven't received an offer that has led them to finally move on from Crowder.
While teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, and Atlanta Hawks remain the three teams that are most seriously pursuing Crowder, it looks like another Eastern Conference team has entered the fray from out of nowhere. The Washington Wizards reportedly made an offer to the Suns for Crowder, but it was quickly turned down, showing that Phoenix is going to drive a hard bargain for the disgruntled wing.
“Yet league sources say that the Wizards recently pursued Crowder with a deal structure (believed to feature Rui Hachimura) that the Suns rebuffed. Phoenix is said to be holding out for a certifiable starter in a Crowder deal.” – Marc Stein
This is an interesting development, as the Wizards aren't exactly close to contending this season, so it doesn't make a ton of sense for them to be interested in Crowder. But it looks like they want to strengthen their wing rotation, even though they are in 12th place in the East with a 12-20 record.
Crowder would definitely benefit a playoff contender more than a team that already looks to be out of the hunt like the Wizards. But the Suns likely won't care as long as the return for Crowder suits their needs. And while the Wizards' first offer didn't give Phoenix what they were looking for, it will be interesting to see if they do anything to change that (Kyle Kuzma?) over the next few weeks.