After trading away three players and five second round selections to acquire him this past season, the Milwaukee Bucks made it clear that they were fond of Jae Crowder.
With that in mind, it always seemed like they envisioned him being a part of their long-term plans rather than a mercenary. Despite how things played out during his first few months in Milwaukee, where he was primarily glued to the bench, it always seemed like Crowder may be open to sticking around in Milwaukee, given his love for the city and the new coaching regime. Indeed, Crowder put his name on the dotted line of a one-year deal this off-season to stay in town.
Now that the financial figures have been revealed, let us grade the deal.
The financial aspect of Jae Crowder’s deal with the Milwaukee Bucks
It was widely expected that Crowder’s deal would be close to the minimum, which has now been confirmed. According to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, Crowder’s deal is worth the veteran minimum for next season. Per Spotrac, the exact figure is $3.2 million for 2023-24.
Crowder is unquestionably a player worth more than a minimum. Yes, he had a rough showing in a Bucks jersey last season, but it was also his first legitimate basketball in months, and he was hurt later in the season, on top of being in a new system. When he knows the system and has a rapport with his teammates, he can be a much more impactful piece. This is a player who could potentially be a starter for Milwaukee on the opening night of the 2023-24 NBA season, so having him on a minimum deal is extremely good value.
On top of all of that, this deal likely keeps the Bucks below the second tax apron, which is huge for a team that is already limited financially. For a team that entered the off-season with very little spending money, the Bucks had to hit on their minimum deals. Between this and the signings of Malik Beasley and Robin Lopez, they have done so thus far by bringing in a few veteran pieces.
Looking at Jae Crowder’s fit and role with the Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks made sure to stock up on wings this off-season. While the young players in Andre Jackson Jr. and Chris Livingston will see playing time, the Bucks also needed a veteran in the locker room, and Crowder is exactly that. In today’s NBA, a team can never have too many wings in the rotation, especially ones with battled tested experience.
With Wesley Matthews seemingly not on the team’s priority list, Crowder will now assume duties as Milwaukee’s top wing defender next season. When Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, or other prolific wings come to town, Crowder will likely draw the assignment of guarding them. Along with being a pest defensively, the wing will be tasked with knocking down triples on the other end. He’s the prototypical 3-and-D wing, and the Bucks will likely utilize him as such.
Having Crowder will also allow the Bucks to utilize their small-ball lineups more often. When the team won the title in 2021, a large reason for it was their ability to put Giannis Antetokounmpo at center and run smaller lineups, as P.J. Tucker could play power forward. For the past two seasons, they’ve been looking for that Tucker replacement, and Crowder is the closest they’ve gotten so far in terms of build. Having a player like that will help the Bucks get back to being versatile with their lineups, which is something they’ve desperately needed.
Crowder’s role with the team is clear, but it will be compelling to see how exactly he gets his time on the court. Could the team make him a full-time starter this season? Will he move to the bench and consistently be a reserve? The former would make sense, as it would give the Bucks a strong defensive starting five that is up there with the best of them in today’s league. There wouldn’t be much concern with his fit alongside Milwaukee’s Big 4, as he would be a seamless piece. Yet, only time will tell how he’s utilized.
Jae Crowder’s long-term outlook with the Milwaukee Bucks
This is the definition of a “prove it” deal. Crowder likely hoped that he would earn a nice payday in free agency this past off-season, but a rough few month stretch in Milwaukee destroyed that idea. Now, he’s willing to bite the bullet this season to prove that he’s still got some juice and can help a team contending for a championship. If Jae Crowder plays well for the Bucks this season, he could undoubtedly cash out on a new deal next off-season.
For now, everything involving Crowder focuses on the present. If he wants to earn that new deal, he’ll have to bounce back. The Bucks have made it clear that they’d like to keep him around, but a handful of other teams would certainly like to have him as well. If Crowder does indeed look like a much better version of himself next season, teams could come calling, and if they offer more than Milwaukee does, he could certainly head elsewhere. Again, that’s not important right now, as the forward’s only thoughts should be getting ready for next season.
Crowder and the Bucks have the potential to be a perfect pairing for many years to come, but it all hinges on how the veteran forward plays this coming season.
The verdict on Jae Crowder’s new deal with the Milwaukee Bucks
This is a good deal by the Milwaukee Bucks. The roster needed wings, and the team wisely opted to keep one around that they traded a haul for. Unless Crowder got some massive deal on the free agent market that was unjustifiable, letting him go would not have made sense, as it would have been horrid asset management by the Milwaukee Bucks.
The deal itself is a no-brainer for Milwaukee, as they’re spending very little money to keep their prized trade deadline acquisition around. For Crowder, he’ll play on this cheap deal for 2023-24 with hopes of getting a much bigger deal next season. That means he should be motivated to get back on track and be the player the Bucks hoped they’d get when they traded for him.
With a legitimate off-season and training camp under his belt to get acquainted with Milwaukee’s new system under Adrian Griffin, he should be better than he was after coming in at the deadline in 2022-23. All in all, it’s an incredibly low-risk move for a player of Crowder’s pedigree, especially with how little financial flexibility the Milwaukee Bucks had at their disposal.
BTBP Grade: A
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