(Original article was published on September 25, authored by Evan Sidery of Basketball News website, the content of the article does not represent the translator's opinion)
Jie Claude seems to be ready to leave Sun to start a new chapter. If you have been following his social media since the offseason, you won't be surprised. has been starting from publicly saying that he wants to start over again, to like Twitter that he hopes to join Heat or Mavericks , and Claude 's intention to leave the sun has long been made clear. This awkward tension between the Suns and Claude may have reached its peak since playoffs was unexpectedly eliminated in the Western Conference semi-finals this season, and the Suns will soon officially start training camp for the new season. Arizona Republican reporter Duane Rankin said on Twitter that the competition for starting positions between Claude and Cameron Johnson will be a key thing in the Suns training camp, but Claude tweeted and responded: "No. 99 (Claude) will not appear in the training camp!" Then he deleted it immediately.
It is reported that the Sun has been touting Claude in recent weeks, including in the deal negotiations with Jazz , because the Sun fell in love with Boben Bogdanovic, and the Jazz eventually accepted Olynik and Saben Lee given by Pistons . Arizona sports journalist John Gambadoro reported that the differences in the deal negotiations between the Sun and the Jazz were that the Sun wanted Vanderbilt in addition to Bogdanovic , and also wanted to send Claude away.
Now Cloud himself wants to leave the sun. Will solar energy reach a deal to send Claude away between training camps? For a team that wants to cheer up from a playoff defeat, forcing Claude, who is dissatisfied with a heartless and dissatisfied, may not be a wise decision. Although the veteran's outside projection on the wing was extremely unstable, his desire to win and overall performance on both offense and defense are needed for any competitive team in the league. Which teams are most likely to pursue Cloud?
Chicago Bulls
Bulls get: Jay Claude
Suns get: Kobe White , Jawante Green
Before suffering an injury blow this season, the Bulls' balanced performance on both ends of offense and defense once made them the first place in the East. Now, the future of Lonzo Ball is not clear due to the meniscus problem, and the Bulls need more defenders who can help. Trade to Claude is an ideal remedy, with many elite scoring wingers in the East. Claude will soon gain a major role when he comes to the Bulls, playing a role similar to the low ball rights of the Suns, and he can benefit from it.
For the Suns, the return on this transaction is ideal in all potential trading options. If the Jazz failed to exchange Bogdanovic for the first round pick, it was hard to imagine that Claude could. This season, Cameron Payne's unstable performance in , has caused a big problem with the Suns' back, which is more obvious in the playoffs. The intention of using Claude to exchange Kobe White is also here. Meanwhile, Jawant Green is the trumpet version of Claude, who can also play on the bench and contribute immediately when playing. The Bulls may hope to get a draft pick in the deal, after all, they gave up a No. 7 pick in the 2019 draft, Kobe White is only 22 years old, and perhaps this will be a barrier in negotiations.
Toronto Raptors
Radolphs get: Jay Claude
Suns get: Sydies-Yang , Malachi Flynn
As long as you are capable wing players, the Raptors will undoubtedly show some interest. The Raptors are building a special team around the wing players, and the effect seems to be slowly approaching the expected direction. It would be great to get Claude in the Raptors' rotation lineup again, especially since he can also play the role of mentor for young players in the same position, Anunobi and best rookie Scotty Barnes .
. The Suns have been interested in Saddis Young since last year. At that time, the Spurs were destined to buy out or trade him. In the end, the Raptors exchanged the veteran with Dragic and the protected first-round pick in 2022. Young is a strong candidate to replace Claude, except for not being able to help with shooting, everything else is OK. In the Monty Williams coach system, Young can be a binder-type fourth position who is happy to pass the ball, partnering with Aiton or Salic. Flynn has never been able to gain a foothold in the Raptors, but he can get a long-term backup role in the Suns. After experiencing Penn's poor playoff performance, it's a good choice for the Suns to bring him some competitors in training camp. The Raptors have just signed a two-year contract extension with Sadies Young, and they may want to keep him. However, it depends on how the Raptors view 32-year-old Claude and whether replacing Young with him is considered a big enough upgrade, so big that the Raptors are willing to give up Flynn.
Miami Heat
Heat gets: Jay Claude
Suns gets: O'Shea Brissett, the future second round pick (from the Heat)
Pacers gets: Duncan Robinson , the future first round pick (from the Heat)
Claude's first choice seems to be reuniting with the Heat, but the Heat does not have the chips that the Suns want. Whether the Heat are willing to send Koreb Martin away is still a question, but he will not be traded in the next few weeks anyway. That is to say, if the Heat want to bring Cloud back, they must bring in a third-party team. Guess what? Some teams have publicly expressed their willingness to participate, and as long as they can get an attractive talented young man or draft pick, this team is the Pacers. From now until next February's trading deadline, the Pacers are likely to be one of the most active teams in the league. Pacers' basketball operations president Kevin Prichard said in a recent interview with Basketball News that the team hopes to continue to hoard assets while making full use of the flexibility of cap space. Not many teams are willing to take over Duncan Robinson's contract, and if they can get a first-round pick, the Pacers are willing to grit their teeth and try it out.
It is also great for the sun to get Brisset from the walkers. Brissett's offensive ability is constantly improving and can shine in the Suns system, partnering with Mkal Bridges and Cameron Johnson. The Pacers want to expand the coverage of the rotation lineup and give young people as many opportunities as possible. Brissett, who stays with the Pacers in the new season, will not have a particularly important role.
Atlanta Hawks
Hawks get: Jay Claude, Landry Shamet , two future second round picks
Suns get: Bogdan Bogdanovic , Justin Holiday
Hawks have put all the chips on the desktop during the offseason, and the Spurs' Dezhangtai Murray . After forming the star backcourt of Trae Young and Murray , the Hawks started the winning mode in the present, so it is very meaningful to trade to Claude. Claude can not only help the Hawks relieve the pressure on the defensive end, but also provide good cover to Yang and Murray from the outside. Earlier this week, the Suns insisted that the Jazz add Vanderbilt to Bogdanovic’s potential deal, and it’s no surprise that they have the same demands against the Hawks. After the deal was reached, the Suns upgraded the third choice on the back line through Bogdanovic, while also getting an all-around wing player. I don't know if the Hawks will make a first-round pick. Considering Bogdanovic's injury problems in the past few years, the Suns may be able to meet the Hawks' draft pick requirements through multiple second-round picks. According to ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst, the Suns are willing to pay luxury taxes to improve competitiveness in the new season. Bogdanovic has a $18 million player option in the 2023-24 season, and his value in the Suns offensive system is worthy of this contract. Compared with other teams' plans, the Hawks' deal seems to be the best choice for the Suns before training camp, and the Hawks who want to win the present are also willing to get Claude.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cavaliers get: Jay Claude
Suns get: Chedi Ottoman , Lamar Stevens
Cavaliers suddenly became a threat to the playoffs. After the trade was obtained Mitchell , the Cavaliers had a deep rotation lineup of 9-10 people. If you get another lineup puzzle like Claude, how much can the team improve its strength? With his advantage in shooting ability, Claude may take precedence over Okoro in the competition for the starting position of the Cavaliers, or become the main force of the second team with veteran Love . Assuming that Claude can start with the Cavaliers, this is also his wish, then the Cavaliers' rotation lineup will be like this:
starter: Garland, Mitchell, Claude, Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Substitute: Rubio , LeVer, Ocorro, Dean Wade, Love
With such a rotation lineup, the Cavaliers can let Ottoman and reduce the expenses in the backcourt lineup in the 2023-24 season. After Ottoman and Stevens go to the Suns, they can find a role in the bench and benefit from the space on the Sunfield. The Suns are eager for shooters, so the Ottoman on the bench may get more attention, and Stevens will get a less-effective role in the wing position. In the next 72 hours, Claude's future is a point worth paying attention to. When everything is settled, will Claude remain in the sun or go to another team?
Original text: Evan Sidery
Compiled by: Li Taibai
