Jordan McRae’s time with the Denver Nuggets was short-lived. Denver will waive the guard according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
ESPN Sources: Denver has agreed to a contract buyout with G/F Jordan McRae. The Phoenix Suns are the likely destination for McRae.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 1, 2020
Denver acquired McRae at the trade deadline from the Washington in exchange for point guard Shabazz Napier. McRae played only 32 minutes over four games with the Nuggets.
Wojnarowski also reports that McRae is likely to end up with the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix would be best served to claim McRae on waivers versus waiting for him to clear. The cap hit will go up for this season by a small amount, but that’s not a concern for the Suns, who are well-below the luxury tax.
By claiming McRae on waivers, Phoenix would inherit McRae’s Early Bird rights as a free agent this summer. With a small cap hold, it would barely eat into the Suns’ cap space this summer. Given the team’s need for a bench scoring guard behind Devin Booker, McRae could prove to be a cost-effective option.
If McRae does land in Phoenix, it would be his second tour of duty with the Suns. McRae previously played for the team on a pair of 10 Day contracts in 2016.