NBA trade rumors: 5 deals that land Jae Crowder on a Playoff team

NBA Trade: Suns address backup point guard, receive a pick in Jae Crowder deal.

The Devonte’ Graham era hasn’t quite worked out in New Orleans, but the 27-year-old guard showed too much promise in his second and third seasons to give up now. A volume 3-point shooter and sneaky playmaker, Graham is on a three-year deal that he hasn’t yet lived up to. Even so, the Kansas Jayhawk could be quite frisky in a backup role despite his whimsical defensive impact as an undersized player.

Despite the circumstances, that contract isn’t looking great anymore, so the Phoenix Suns would be looking for some first-round draft compensation in return for Crowder’s expiring deal. Graham offers instant offense from the Suns’ bench while Crowder delivers veteran know-how, Playoff experience, accountability for New Orleans’ young leaders and depth at the forward position. He’s a phenomenal bench piece for a team with the talent and upside to compete with the best.

That first-round pick is almost sure to convert for the Suns, giving them another trade chip to push forward — possibly along with Graham’s contract — to make future moves. In the meanwhile, they’ve got some exceptional shooting off the bench in the form of a motivated player.