Getty Jae Crowder #99 of the Boston Celtics reacts after hitting a three point shot.
Pending any new surprises, former Boston Celtics starter Jae Crowder will be playing for a new team for the 2022-23 season. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that he and the Phoenix Suns have mutually agreed to part ways and are working to find Crowder a new home.
The Phoenix Suns and Jae Crowder have mutually agreed that the veteran forward will not participate in training camp as the sides work on a trade, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
On September 27, ESPN Analysts Zach Lowe discussed who he could see as Crowder’s next team. While Lowe had not been reporting anything, he mentioned one team that could use Crowder’s services: the Milwaukee Bucks.
Lowe believes Crowder could be the PJ Tucker replacement they’ve been looking for since he left them in 2021 for the Miami Heat.
“The Milwaukee Bucks have kind of been searching for P.J. Tucker 2.0 since they let P.J. Tucker go; this is the closest thing,” Lowe said. After proposing that they trade Grayson Allen in a deal for Crowder, he added who Milwaukee tried to get during the offseason. “The Bucks were sneakily kind of sniffing around Jerami Grant in Detroit before Portland swooped in. I think they kind of like the idea of the switchable, switchable, switchable guys.”
New Lowe Post podcast: @NickFriedell on Nets media team/Brooklyn season preview; @BobbyMarks42 and I do fake Jae Crowder trades; then @_Andrew_Lopez previews the Pelicans:
Spotify: t.co/aItE62oFRF
Apple:
If Crowder were to be traded to the Bucks, they would be his eighth NBA team as he enters his 10th year in the NBA.
Celtics Among Teams Potentially Interested in Crowder
After Charania confirmed that Crowder and the Suns were parting ways, Charania went on “The Rally” to explain who he believes will be interested in Crowder’s services. The Celtics were among the teams he mentioned.
“Sources tell me that both the Suns and Crowder are now working toward finding him a trade out of Phoenix,” Charania said. “When you think about what teams could be interested in Jae Crowder, I would look at the team that he’s played for. Look for teams like Boston, Memphis, Dallas, Miami especially, as teams that could be interested in Jae Crowder”
Crowder has also played for all of the other teams that Charania mentioned. Charania added why teams may potentially be interested in Crowder.
“He’s a 3/4 that can play defense, can make shots, brings a great level of energy and culture to your organization as well.”
“Sources tell me that both the Suns and Crowder are now working toward finding him a trade out of Phoenix…Look for teams like Boston, Memphis, Dallas, Miami.”
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania reports on the Suns looking to find a trade partner for veteran forward Jae Crowder.
It would be difficult for the Celtics to conjure up a potential trade for Crowder. The Suns probably want someone who has the same, if not more value than Crowder does. The Celtics may not want to trade the younger Derrick White, who has two years left on his contract, for Crowder, whose contract is up after this season.
Odds are, the Suns don’t want an injured Danilo Gallinari, whose likely not to play a game in the 2022-23 season, either.
Ja Morant Hints He Wants Crowder Back
After Crowder took to Twitter to express his thought on his impending split from the Suns, Grizzlies star Ja Morant hinted that he would like to have Crowder back as his teammate.
Crowder would go on to like Morant’s tweet. Morant then followed that up by bringing up a video of Crowder hitting a buzzer-beating three that helped the Grizzlies get their first win of the 2019-20 season over the Brooklyn Nets.
Crowder played for the Grizzlies during the 2019-20 season before he was traded to the Heat. He could help the Grizzlies on their quest for a championship, but it would be hard seeing the Suns help a Western Conference rival when they have the same goals.