Getty LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers fends off Jae Crowder of the Phoenix Suns.
Ahead of the February 9 trade deadline, expect to see the Miami Heat looped into trade rumors. The latest surfaced on January 14 when ESPN’s Adrian Wojnorowski reported that the Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks are looking to swing a trade for Jae Crowder of the Phoenix Suns.
“Both Milwaukee and Miami are among a number of teams still tracking a possible deal with Phoenix,” Wojnarowski said during an appearance on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown.” He said Crowder was the type of player who “fits the identity” of both the Heat and Bucks. He also has appeared in more playoff games over the past three seasons than any player, according to Wojnorowski.
Crowder, 32, has not played this season because he and the Suns mutually agreed in September that he would be separated from the team, which is trying to trade him after he said he wanted to play elsewhere because he disliked his role as a bench player.
Also in September, Crowder told Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press that he’d welcome a return to South Beach, where he played 20 regular season games in 2019-2020 and played a part in Miami’s run to the NBA Finals that year. He started 21 playoff games for the Heat and averaged 12 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 40.3% from the field and 34.2% from beyond the 3-point arc.
“If it were up to him, would Jae Crowder welcome a return to the Miami Heat? ‘Of course,’ source close to Crowder said,” Reynolds tweeted on September 25.
If it were up to him, would Jae Crowder welcome a return to the Miami Heat? “Of course,” source close to Crowder said.
(Of course, it’s not up to him, but you know that.)
Last season, the 6-foot-6 forward appeared in 67 of the team’s 82 games. He averaged 9.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists on 39.9% shooting from the field and 34.8% from deep.
Miami Interested in Zach LaVine
Crowder isn’t the only player whom Miami has been linked to this season. On the January 12 episode of “The HoopsHype Podcast,” host Michael Scotto teased that the Heat were interested in the Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine.
“If he were to be put on the market, the (New York) Knicks, (Los Angeles) Lakers, Dallas (Mavericks) and Miami are certainly monitoring if he’ll become available or not,” Scotto told KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
LaVine is averaging 23.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for Chicago and shooting 47% from the field and 39.9% from beyond the arc.
Mo Bamba Could Be Bench Piece for Heat
Along with Crowder and LaVine, Mo Bamba of the Orlando Magic has been listed as an ideal trade target for the Heat (24-20; seventh place in the Eastern Conference), according to a January 11 article by Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz.
“The Heat should think big at first, looking for power forwards who can stretch the floor alongside Bam Adebayo and give this 24th-ranked offense a little more juice,” Swartz wrote. The combination of Adebayo and Bamba could also create a difficult-to-defend presence in the paint.
Bamba signed a new two-year $20.6 million contract to stay in Orlando over the summer. He has appeared in 33 of the team’s 42 games, averaging 18.3 minutes, 7.7 points, 5 rebounds and 1.1 assists on 49.2% shooting from the floor and 37% shooting from beyond the arc.