Phoenix Suns: Top 5 Free Agency Targets
4. Allen Crabbe
Out of all the 25-years-and-younger players on this list, Allen Crabbe is probably the best right now. At age 24, Crabbe and his fescue-inspired hairdo are coming off their finest season yet, averaging 10.3 points in 26.0 minutes per game while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from downtown — ALL career-highs.
As a key bench player for a Portland team that was the pleasant surprise of 2015-16, Crabbe is heading for a sizable contract extension this summer when he hits restricted free agency.
Unfortunately, that’s the exact reason Crabbe is not higher up this list: As a restricted free agent, he’s another talented young player the Blazers will likely match offers for this summer, unless they’re massive overpays from crappy teams trying with all their might to pry him away.
The 76ers, Nets and Kings are among the teams interested in Portland restricted free agent Allen Crabbe, sources say.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 29, 2016
Things might get interesting for the Blazers’ front office when the offers start pouring in, since Harkless, Crabbe and Meyers Leonard have all been extended qualifying offers to make them restricted free agents.
But more than likely, it’d take a sweeping offer from the Suns — and similar offers from other teams for those other two — to force the Blazers into a tough decision and that ends with this promising young shooting guard slipping through their fingers.
At this point, it’s hard to see the Suns getting caught up in major offers for a player so under the radar like Crabbe, even if he’s the exact kind of diamond in the rough they should be looking for.
Next: No. 3