The Phoenix Suns are just days away from their season opener against the Dallas Mavericks, yet Jae Crowder’s trade request remains hanging over the franchise. The same can be said for the Los Angeles Lakers, with the ongoing presence of Russell Westbrook continuing a long-running soap opera since his arrival over 14 months ago.
It’s no secret the Lakers have been looking to move Westbrook all offseason, that having come on the back of a disastrous 2021-22 season where the Lakers missed the play-in tournament entirely.
A highly touted deal with the Indiana Pacers has been doing the rounds for months, with the Lakers to receive Myles Turner and Buddy Hield in exchange for Westbrook and future first-round picks. No official trade has been forthcoming yet though, so could the Suns get involved in a deal that resolves their situation with Crowder as well?
The Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers can engineer a three-way deal with the Indiana Pacers, ending speculation about Jae Crowder and Russell Westbrook.
Here’s how the seven-player, three-team deal could play out, focusing on the aspirations of each team this season and moving forward. The Suns have a reasonably settled starting five but want to upgrade their bench, the Lakers need an injection of talent around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, while the Pacers want an influx of picks as they begin what most expect will be a long rebuild.
Who gets the rough end of the stick and which team makes out like bandits? It’s a lot to work through so let’s evaluate the motives and incentives of each team, and why the deal would be attractive to them.