What’s Next for Jae Crowder?
Being in the NBA for a decade and having played for seven teams, it’s safe to say Jae Crowder has seen it all.
While he hasn’t won any individual awards since breaking into the NBA as the 34th overall pick in 2012, he’s already shown he could provide veteran leadership in the 735 regular-season games and 107 playoff games in which he’s suited up for. An undersized power forward at six-foot-six, getting buckets has never a problem as he’s shooting 41.7% from the field during his career- including 34.6% from the three-point line.
Crowder is also one of the reasons why the Phoenix Suns reached the 2021 NBA Finals where they lost to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks. Number 99 also helped guide the Suns to the best record in the NBA during the 2021-22 campaign (64-18).
And yet, it seems Jae Crowder doesn’t have a clear future entering the 2022-2023 season. At least, not with the Suns.
A Trade Seems Inevitable
Rumour has it that the Phoenix Suns have been working to find the best return they could get in exchange for a package involving Jae Crowder. And reports now claim both the Suns and Crowder agreed the 32-year-old veteran will not participate in the upcoming training camp while the trade is being worked out.
The rumour mill then went into hypderdrive when a fan asked Crowder on Twitter who between Crowder and Cam Johnson would get the start at the power forward spot.
Crowder’s since-deleted response: “99 won’t be there!”
It’s safe to say a trade or buyout involving Jae Crowder is inevitable. And the good news is that despite his age, Crowder’s services remain very much in demand in the NBA.
Three Potential Destinations
With his vast experience and playoff pedigree, teams with young cores will likely benefit from acquiring Crowder. However, that doesn’t mean he couldn’t also help teams with championship aspirations either.
The Cleveland Cavaliers surprised everyone when they acquired Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. The young Cavs now have Mitchell, Jarett Allen, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley as its main core. If Crowder goes the Cavs’ way, he could assume the veteran role on the team. He could also use his three-point shooting to help lure the defense away from Mitchell and company.
Cleveland might need to build a package involving Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens, and a draft pick to send to Phoenix if they want Crowder.
The Miami Heat, according to insiders, could also be another potential destination for Crowder. Familiarity could be the key in this trade as Crowder actually played one season in Miami that saw the Heat lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 NBA Finals. If acquired by the Heat, Crowder would fill the void left by PJ Tucker.
That, if the Suns would be willing to embrace Duncan Robinson’s hefty contract as a part of the potential deal.
Finally, another team in the East who could use the veteran forward’s 3 point shooting skills is the Philadelphia 76ers.
Adding Jae Crowder to a roster that has Joel Embiid and James Harden would give the Sixers additional depth at the wings- something that they couldn’t get from Matisse Thybulle last year during critical stretches due to the latter’s shooting woes. An issue which ultimately made for a shorter than expected playoff run last spring.
-Iggy Gonzales
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.