Jae Crowder hints that his return to the Milwaukee Bucks may be imminent

On November 11, Milwaukee Bucks forward Jae Crowder logged just 17 minutes before being injured in a loss to the Orlando Magic.

It was revealed soon after that Crowder's injury was quite serious, as the adductor/abdomen injury would require him to undergo surgery. Crowder has been out of Milwaukee's lineup since, with the expected timetable for him to return being deemed six to eight weeks post-surgery from the jump.

That amount of time has passed, and Crowder hinted in a recent Instagram post that his return to the lineup is coming very soon. Following Milwaukee's thrilling win over the Sacramento Kings, Crowder made a post documenting the night and signed off with "99 BACK IN BUSINESS."

Jae Crowder hints that his return to the Bucks may be imminent

Crowder's return should be a huge boost for the Bucks. Prior to the injury, he was playing inspired basketball on both sides of the floor. In nine games, he averaged 8.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 53.2 percent from the floor and 51.6 percent from 3-point territory.

In addition to his scoring and rebounding, Crowder will help sharpen Milwaukee's defense, which has not been a strong point this season. The veteran forward will provide toughness, communication, and versatility on that side of the basketball, which this team could use more of at this point.

Crowder entered the season "motivated" to prove he could still play at a high level, and he certainly will have that same chip on his shoulder after this setback.

Getting Crowder back won't push the Bucks over the edge as contenders, but it will be a nice piece to the puzzle for a team looking to put the pieces together. It will be interesting to see how Crowder's imminent return impacts Milwaukee's decision-making leading up to the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline, but it wouldn't be too surprising if they aimed to add another defensive-minded piece regardless.

The forward didn't put a set in stone date for his return, but the Bucks will be back on the court for a clash with the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday. Perhaps that is when he will return.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.