4 players the Suns could sign with newly opened roster spot

The Phoenix Suns made a surprising move earlier this week, as they waived both Nassir Little and E.J. Liddell. A pair of players who would have struggled to have even made the team's second unit, but who it was thought might have some trade value around the league.

Rather than continue to try and get something back - the $22 million and three years remaining on Little's contract looked moveable - the Suns decided to cut bait on the duo altogether. In doing so they've saved themselves some money for this year, but this decision goes beyond impacting owner Mat Ishbia's pockets.

The Suns have now opened up a roster spot, and there are plenty of options to pursue.

The organization may only be armed with the veteran's minimum to try and entice these players to The Valley, but they've had great success with this already. Legitimate rotation players such as Mason Plumlee, Monte Morris and even Tyus Jones coming to Phoenix on minimum deals.

The franchise could also elect to keep this spot free - which their rookies will be hoping is the case so they get more of a look in - and instead return to roster improvement at the trade deadline. Being in the second apron makes the buyout market a more difficult landscape to enter, while pickups like Thaddeus Young and Isaiah Thomas did nothing to help last year anyway.

4. Jae Crowder

Yes we've been here before, but the time for Jae Crowder to make a return to Phoenix might just be now. He's still without a team, and has just enough juice left on the defensive end to have a limited about of impact on any given night. He's also familiar with new head coach Mike Budenholzer from their time together with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The addition of Crowder could have another beneficial impact, as it could signal the end of Josh Okogie's time with the Suns. He was brought back on a new deal this summer - two-years, $16 million - but that was done with a view to trading him down the road. Like Little and Liddell, his spot with the bench group is not even guaranteed.

The Suns could add Crowder, who in turn would take the place of Okogie while they went and swapped him for a different player altogether. Crowder can do basically everything Okogie can anyway and although he's nearly a decade older, he's only going to be used in spot minutes anyway. A reunion has long been spoken about, but now feels like the right time.