With the 2022-23 NBA season inching close, it seems that the Milwaukee Bucks may not be done tinkering with their roster just yet.
Speculation started when ESPN’s Zach Lowe mentioned on his podcast recently that he bets the Bucks will take a look at Jae Crowder on the trade market. A disgruntled Crowder recently asked the Phoenix Suns for a trade, and there are reportedly several teams looking to acquire him before this coming season begins. According to long-time NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required), the Cleveland Cavaliers and Bucks are two teams who have been mentioned as potential landing spots for the veteran forward. With Crowder looking for a new home and the Bucks rumored to be interested, let us break down the pros and cons of Milwaukee bringing in the 32-year-old.
The pros of the Milwaukee Bucks trading for Jae Crowder
On paper, Jae Crowder is exactly the type of player that the Milwaukee Bucks are always rumored to be looking at, so this news was not surprising. Known for his reputable defense and long-range shooting, the veteran forward personifies the NBA’s ‘3-and-D wing’ archetype.
Adding Crowder would immediately make the Bucks stronger defensively. The 6-foot-6 Crowder can defend multiple positions at the highest level, bringing more tenacity and toughness to that side of the floor. It was abundantly clear in last season’s seven-game playoff series against the Boston Celtics that the Bucks would have benefitted tremendously from having another strong wing defender on their side to defend Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Crowder would give the Bucks another great defender to take on those tough defensive assignments nightly.
Having Crowder on the floor alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, and others would make for some lethal defensive lineups. As Zach Lowe mentioned on his podcast, the Bucks are seemingly in the hunt for more “switchable guys,” which is exactly what Crowder can bring to the table. On that note, he would also bring more versatility into the mix, giving the Bucks a long-awaited forward who can slide to the four when Giannis Antetokounmpo goes to play center. This was something the Bucks lacked last season, and it showed in the playoffs.
Crowder’s experience also cannot be overlooked. Not only is the 32-year-old a ten-year NBA vet, but he also has a considerable amount of playoff experience. Crowder has appeared in 107 games in the playoffs throughout his career, which includes 12 NBA Finals games in two separate trips. The veteran has no shortage of battle-tested experience, and for a team like the Bucks that is in win-now mode, that would be huge.
For his defense, switchability, versatility, and experience, Crowder possesses a lot of qualities that resemble a former Buck in P.J. Tucker. Of course, Tucker helped the Bucks win the 2021 title due to all of those attributes, and the front office was unable to replace his skillset the following season. On the floor, Crowder is the closest thing to Tucker in the entire league, and adding him would be a reasonable move for that very reason.
The cons of the Milwaukee Bucks trading for Jae Crowder
Given how well Jae Crowder would fit in with the Milwaukee Bucks on the defensive end, the cons side of the list is rather short.
The main concern is how Crowder would fit in offensively. Crowder has primarily been known as a 3-point shooter in his career, but he has sunk just 34.6 percent of his career triples. Excluding two impressive shooting seasons with the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns, Crowder has shot below 35 percent from downtown in every year of his career, which could be problematic for a Milwaukee team that relies so heavily on shooting. To get Crowder, the Bucks would almost certainly have to include Grayson Allen, who is one of the team’s best long-range shooters. While it would improve the Bucks’ defensive efforts, the swap could hurt the team on offense.
Aside from his perimeter shooting, Crowder does not bring much else offensively, as he has never been known as a shot creator or playmaker. Many argued that the Bucks should prioritize adding more offense-first players this offseason because they were unquestionably plagued by a lack of scoring last season, and Crowder does not exactly fit the billing. The forward is the definition of a streaky shooter night in and night out, and there is no telling which version would land in MKE.
On another note, Crowder is always set to be on the final year of his deal. Unless the team was to hand him an extension, they would risk Crowder being a one-year rental for 2022-23.
The verdict on if the Milwaukee Bucks should trade for Jae Crowder
It would not be the least bit surprising to see the Milwaukee Bucks pull off a trade for Jae Crowder before the 2022-23 NBA season.
The front office is seemingly in the market for switchable defenders, and there is no name on the market hotter right now than Crowder. Seeking a fresh start, he could return to the state where he played his collegiate basketball and compete for a title. The forward would have a tailor-made role waiting for him in Milwaukee, as he would likely be a starter. Adding Crowder would immediately draw comparisons to Milwaukee’s move to trade for P.J. Tucker in 2020-21, and rightfully so.
While Crowder would be a justifiable trade target, he should be second on Milwaukee’s wish list at this moment. Jordan Clarkson, who the Bucks have also been rumored to have interest in, should be atop the team’s list at the moment due to their need for more creators offensively. If Clarkson is no longer an option for the Bucks, then Crowder should be someone they pursue heavily. He is a player that would undoubtedly help the Bucks in their quest for another championship.
The most significant uncertainty is what the Phoenix Suns may want in exchange for the veteran. They do not exactly have much leverage in the situation, but they will not just give him away at the end of the day. The Bucks would have to start by matching Crowder’s $10.2 million salary for next season, which is doable. The question is how persistent the Bucks will be as they look to add more switchable defenders to this roster.
Stay tuned to see if the Milwaukee Bucks’ rumored interest in Jae Crowder intensifies before the 2022-23 NBA season begins.