If this is the ask, Phoenix might as well move along because Miami is not going for this.
It’s no secret the Heat have talked to the Suns about a possible Jae Crowder trade, with Miami being one of Crowder’s preferred landing spots. They haven’t been close to a deal, and now we may know why. From Ian Begley of SNY.TV.
He would assume correctly. If the Heat were willing to put Strus in a deal, one would already be done.
The Heat do not want to include Strus, who is averaging 14.2 points a game, is shooting 35.9% from 3, and can often be found as part of Erik Spoelstra’s closing lineups. The Heat see Strus as a less expensive, better defending version of Duncan Robinson on the wing — Robinson is available in a deal, but that’s not a good salary match with Crowder (Robinson makes about $6 million a year more). The Heat don’t think swapping Strus out for Crowder as a serious upgrade despite the positional need, something I have discussed with Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel in our weekly conversations on all things Heat.
Any Heat trade for Crowder likely doesn’t occur until January, when players such as Dewayne Dedmon and the injured Victor Oladipo become available to be part of a deal.
This rumor sounds like the Suns’ wish list.
