Free agent Jae Crowder returns to the Bucks: Reaction and Analysis
By Dalton Sell
Veteran NBA insider Marc Stein (Subscription required) reported earlier this week that veteran free agent Jae Crowder was expected to return to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Indeed, that will be the case, as Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes has reported that Crowder will be back in Milwaukee next season on a one-year deal. The financial figures have not yet been given out, but one would think it is on the more team-friendly side for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Free agent Jae Crowder returns to the Bucks: Reaction and Analysis
Bringing Crowder makes sense for the Bucks. On the court, he had some struggles with the Bucks, but one must remember that he was a mid-season acquisition who hadn’t played that season to that point. He also dealt with a nagging injury that caused him to miss time. With an off-season under his belt to build up chemistry with his teammates and actually know where he will be next season, Crowder could certainly bounce back for the Bucks.
Crowder will be Milwaukee’s primary wing defender next season, a position they have been trying to fill for the past few seasons. In today’s NBA, a team can never have to many defensive-minded wings, so keeping Crowder is beyond justifiable, especially when eyeing Milwaukee’s wing room. Aside from Crowder and Khris Middleton, most of Milwaukee’s wing rotation is either extremely young or under 6-foot-6. Crowder breaks both molds and will give the Bucks some needed size and experience on the wing.
Ultimately, if things do not pan out with Crowder, he’ll be another tradeable salary for Milwaukee to utilize down the line. However, the better outcome would be Crowder bouncing back and being the top-notch defensive wing the Bucks expected when they traded for him. Hopefully, Crowder’s potential in Milwaukee’s new rotation will be unlocked by Coach Adrian Griffin.
It will be interesting to see the financial figures for this deal, so keep an eye out for that as more details surface in the coming days. Now, the Bucks must turn their attention to the backup point guard position after Jevon Carter left for the Chicago Bulls.
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