Veteran forward Jae Crowder has had a wild journey in the NBA.
The 32-year-old has played for seven different teams, and he has never spent more than three seasons with the same organization.
He’s a very impactful player and knows a thing or two about how to play winning basketball, but for whatever reason, he hasn’t found a long-term home during his NBA career.
Perhaps his next team will change that.
Crowder’s time with the Phoenix Suns is seemingly about to come to a close, and with the end in sight, the Marquette University product recently tweeted out an honest message.
The takeaway: Crowder is grateful for his time with the Suns, but he wants to play for a team that makes him feel wanted and needed.
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.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 25, 2022
ONE MUST SEEK WORK WHERE HE IS WANTED.. WHERE HE IS NEEDED.! I AM THANKFUL FOR WHAT THESE PAST 2 YRS HAVE TAUGHT ME.! NOW I MUST TAKE ON ANOTHER CHALLENGE WITH CONTINUED HARDWORK & DEDICATION.! FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CLOSED THE DOOR ON ME…. THANK YOU! 99 BACK SOON.! 🥷🏾🤫🤐
— JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) September 25, 2022
It likely won’t be long before the next chapter of Crowder’s NBA career begins.
Everything Runs Its Course
Crowder spent two memorable seasons with the Suns, and he certainly left his mark along the way.
In the 2020-21 campaign, he appeared in 60 regular season games, averaging 10.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest.
In the process, he knocked down 40.4 percent of his shots from the field and 38.9 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.
It wasn’t until the playoffs, however, that the season became one of the most memorable of his career.
He averaged 10.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in the 2021 playoffs, and above all, he had a major hand in Phoenix’s trip to the NBA Finals.
Unfortunately, the team came up just two wins short of the title.
The NBA Finals trip marked the second straight for Crowder after he also reached the championship series in the 2019-20 season with the Miami Heat.
The 2021-22 season was Crowder’s second with the Suns, and it was another productive one.
While he took a step back from an efficiency standpoint, he still averaged 9.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game and was in the starting lineup every time he played.
He posted similar numbers in the playoffs, but this time around, the Suns were eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals.
The fact that Crowder seemingly no longer feels wanted or needed in Phoenix may stem from the idea of Cameron Johnson replacing him in the starting lineup.
Of course, there could be other factors at play, but one thing seems certain: The Crowder is coming to an end in Phoenix.
Final Thoughts
Crowder is a player who’s capable of making a difference for any contending team.
He’s passionate, plays with a lot of intensity, and can provide a spark at any time.
Moreover, he’s a really solid defender and serviceable shooter, which are abilities that make him easy to plug into virtually any lineup.
Crowder almost certainly has more seasons behind him than he does ahead of him, so it’s probably safe to assume that he’s highly motivated to make the most out of his upcoming years.
He hasn’t won an NBA title yet but would surely love nothing more than to accomplish that goal.
Time will tell if he lands with a team that is in the title mix this season.
NEXT: The Search For A New Suns Owner Heats Up
