The Milwaukee Bucks had their sights firmly set on Jae Crowder for many months leading up to the NBA trade deadline for several reasons.
After a lengthy pursuit that lasted several months, the Bucks finally got their guy in the last few hours before the deadline passed. Despite Crowder not playing during the first portion of the year as he awaited a trade, the Bucks clearly believed he could be a valuable piece to this team as they looked to capture another NBA title. Thus far, Crowder has indeed been a seamless fit.
Jae Crowder has been a seamless fit with the Milwaukee Bucks thus far
In seven contests with the Bucks, Crowder has averaged 6.1 points while shooting 48.4 percent on his field goals and 38.1 percent on his 3-point shots, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 18.1 minutes per game. On paper, Crowder’s numbers may not jump off of the page, but there is no denying that he has had an impact on both ends whenever he’s stepped onto the court.
Offensively, Crowder’s role has not been massive, as he’s averaging just 4.4 field goal attempts on average thus far, but he’s making good on them. He’s primarily been used as a perimeter shooter, and his numbers are solid in that regard. Per NBA.com/stats, he has shot 7-of-15 ( 46.7 percent) on his catch-and-shoot triples and 4-of-6 (66.7 percent) on his “wide-open” threes. The looks will continue to be there for Crowder, and if he can capitalize like this, it would continue to be huge for a team that relies so heavily on 3-point shooting.
While Crowder’s offensive production is great, the Bucks primarily traded for him due to his strong play defensively, and he has not disappointed thus far. In these seven matchups, Crowder has held his opponents to 21-of-57 (36.8 percent) field goal shooting, including 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) on 3-pointers. The forward has shown that he can guard multiple positions at a high level, which has helped him find his footing with this team so quickly. That versatility has been great and has given Coach Mike Budenholzer more versatility in his lineup decisions.
In short, the Bucks needed a 3-and-D wing before the deadline, and they certainly got one of the best ones on the market. Due to his play on both ends, Crowder has fit right in with Milwaukee’s core components like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and others. It’s not too much of a surprise that Crowder has fit in so well, given how much this team wanted him for that exact reason.
Crowder has been exactly as advertised, and he is bound to be a massive contributor to this team down the line. While it seems like the coaching staff is keeping an eye on his minutes right now to get him back into the swing of NBA life, it would not be surprising if the veteran finds himself in Milwaukee’s starting five at some point. For now, these early returns have been encouraging as Jae Crowder continues getting back up to speed at the NBA level.
Crowder’s importance to the Milwaukee Buks will continue to be on display down the line.