The Cleveland Cavaliers addressed their need at backup point guard by way of a reunion with Ricky Rubio, who spent all of five months and 0 games away from the Cavs before re-signing in free agency this summer. Could the Cavs address their need at small forward by way of another reunion?
The Phoenix Suns had the league’s best record last season, but lost in ignominious fashion by means of a Game 7 blowout loss at home to the Dallas Mavericks. It has caused fissures in the team, and when you add on top the mess of the Robert Sarver situation you get an organization that seems to have lost its confidence in itself and its ability to win.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a need at small forward. Could a reunion with a former player be the Cavs’ solution by trading for Jae Crowder?
As they seek answers, they seem to have somehow alienated a key part of that success. Suns forward Jae Crowder has been a starter each of the last two seasons, a perfect fit in their lineup with his shooting and defense. Yet amidst trade rumors and discussions about starting Cam Johnson in his place, Crowder has apparently decided he is ready to get out.
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The Cavs should at least call about every forward who is potentially available via trade. Crowder is much more than potentially available, and could represent a solution to the Cavs’ single most glaring issue: a true 3-and-D forward to start at the 3. Let’s look at the pros and cons of such a deal.
Pros of a Cavs trade for Suns forward Jae Crowder
Jae Crowder’s last three teams have either lead the league in wins or made the NBA Finals. Obviously, he is only one such piece of those wildly successful teams, but he has certainly been a key one. Last year his Defensive EPM (Estimated Plus-Minus) was in the 95th percentile for his position.
That’s Crowder’s calling card, is as a rugged and strong defender who can take on the league’s combo forwards. Whether it’s LeBron James, Kevin Durant or Kawhi Leonard, Crowder welcomes the matchups against the league’s elite. His quick hands help him to keep leverage and often poke away the ball for steals. At 6’6″ Crowder may seem slightly undersized for the 4, where he has primarily played the past few seasons, but his strength and 6’9″ wingspan help balance the ledger.
On offense he has settled into a low-usage role as an off-ball shooter, taking 71.9 percent of his shots from beyond the arc during his time in Phoenix. His usage rate last season on the Suns was essentially last on the team; he’s going to spot up, shoot when he is open, and play defense.
That’s the exact kind of player the Cavs need to glue the two ends of their starting lineup together. They don’t need more on-ball shot creation in the starting lineup, but rather a good defender who is willing to shoot.
Financially, Crowder is on a great contract, having signed for the Mid-Level Exception two offseasons ago. He will make just $10.2 million on an expiring deal this season, and if the Cavs traded for him they would end up with full Bird Rights next summer.
Cons of a Cavs trade for Suns forward Jae Crowder
Jae Crowder is a willing shooter and strong defender, but there are two caveats to that characterization. The first is that while Crowder will bomb away from distance, he isn’t always very accurate. Last season he shot just 34.8 percent from 3-point range. Three years ago he started the season in Memphis and shot just 29.3 percent in 45 games, then hit 44.5 percent with the Miami Heat down the stretch. He is one of the league’s most pronounced hot-and-cold shooters.
Crowder’s willingness to at least take the shots opens up the court and is valuable, but the Cavs will need some to go in to make him a worthy starter at the 3.
The other difficulty is that while Crowder is a really good defender, he specializes in larger opponents. Starting Crowder wouldn’t give the Cavs much roster flexibility in defending opposing guards. Crowder isn’t Andrew Wiggins or Jimmy Butler, combo forwards who can slide up to take on elite scoring guards; he is more like Harrison Barnes or Jerami Grant.
Finally, Crowder is 32 years old. He lines up with the timeline of the Cavs’ aging bench, not their young core. If Father Time comes knocking, any subsequent contract the Cavs sign him to could look bad. Trading for just one season of Crowder makes a deal less valuable to the team.
Cavs trade for Suns forward Jae Crowder: The Final Verdict
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a team set up for success this year, with Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell sure to break opposing defenses and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen set to break opposing offenses. The problem is if their options at small forward provide a weakness to be exploited at either or both ends.
Jae Crowder is not the perfect end-all, be-all solution to that problem, but he is a very good one. His floor-spacing is real even when the shot isn’t going in, and he will continue to get plenty of open looks with Garland and Mitchell warping the court. Defensively he can mix in with Mobley and Allen for an ultra-switchable frontcourt look.
The cost becomes important to determine whether this is a great option for the Cavs. Do the Suns want to talk Caris LeVert? Then perhaps Jae Crowder and Torrey Craig would make sense to bolster the Cavs’ wing depth. Would they rather get Cedi Osman and a draft pick? That’s more difficult for the Cavs as they have very limited draft capital remaining.
If the cost is right, Crowder would be a great solution for at least this season, and potentially for a few more years beyond. Bringing Crowder back to Cleveland would solve a problem in the present and perhaps the near-future as well. Add in his competitive fire and Jae Crowder would be a great addition to this roster.