5 Bucks who are expendable, 5 they can't afford to trade

Expendable: Jae Crowder

Crowder’s time with the Bucks has not gone as planned. He was sitting out before Milwaukee gave up five second-round draft picks to acquire him at the 2023 trade deadline. Crowder was a starter on back-to-back teams that made the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2021. Everyone assumed he would play a key role in Cream City, but the 6’6 forward was cut from their playoff rotation after three games.

He re-signed with Milwaukee on a one-year veteran minimum deal in the offseason. The veteran was playing outstanding and getting more minutes before injuring his groin. Crowder was quickly ruled out for eight weeks and is not expected to return until at least mid-January.

The 33-year-old should be expendable if the Milwaukee Bucks can find an upgrade. He was out of their playoff rotation last season and will need to be brought along slowly after a significant groin injury. He is on the decline, but can still play a key postseason role if fully healthy.

Jae Crowder has a lot to prove this season and his injury came at an awful time. Can he recover and get back to standing out? The veteran certainly wants to prove he has plenty left in the tank, but the Bucks should explore his market in hopes of improving their roster.