Getty Jae Crowder of the Milwaukee Bucks and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns.
Injuries derailed the Phoenix Suns’ season for the majority of this season. However, the blockbuster trade they made at this year’s deadline has a chance to change everything. Phoenix added Kevin Durant to the roster, and in separate moves, they moved Jae Crowder and Dario Saric.
Crowder’s relationship with the Suns deteriorated quickly, and he ended up sitting out the entire season until he was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks. After the two teams squared off on Tuesday, Crowder discussed what it was like to go up against his former team.
“Obviously, I just want to get the win,” Crowder said via the Bucks’ official YouTube channel. “I didn’t care how I played individually. I told the guys that. I just wanted to get the win. I just felt like it was a pivotal wi, just for my just for my mental. Just moving forward. Just feeling good. I knew they were going to play hard for a full game. That’s a great team. That’s a good team over there. So, I just wanted to get the win. Just keep this good winning streak of playing good ball for us going. That’s all.”
Despite the way his tenure with Phoenix ended, Crowder was crucial to the Suns’ run to the NBA Finals in 2021. He started every single playoff game for the Suns that season, playing 33.1 minutes per contest – the fourth-most minutes of any player on the team.
With the Bucks, Crowder will play a similar, yet smaller, role to the one he played with Phoenix. In just his second game with the Bucks, Crowder put in a solid shift, playing a significant role off the bench. He dropped seven points, three rebounds, and two assists on 2-of-3 shooting from the field, all of which were three-point attempts.
Kevin Durant Excited to Play With Devin Booker
As Phoenix prepares to attempt another run to the Finals, Durant should prove to be as good of an addition as they could have hoped for. During a recent edition of his podcast, The ETCs, Durant spoke at length about how fond he is of Booker, meaning the two should get along swimmingly on the court and off of it.
“I just like his work ethic,” Durant explained. “I remember seeing him in college, I loved his form on his jump shot at a young age. So, I was like, I can tell he’s been working on his game. And so, just following them over the years, just seeing how quickly he developed. His IQ for the game. He understands the game. So, I like guys that can score from all areas of the floor, and being around somebody that works like that and that cares about the game like that is only going to help me. So, I’m looking forward to being around him.”
Kevin Durant Could Lure Carmelo Anthony to Suns
While the addition of Durant was the Suns’ only major move, they could still look to make more additions. Based on Durant’s comments at All-Star Weekend, there’s a chance that Phoenix could look to bring in 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony.
“Yeah, most definitely,” Durant said via @MeloCentral on Twitter when asked whether or not Anthony could still play in the NBA. “I think he still has the talent to play in our league.”