After several trade talks that fell through since the summer and leading up to the trade deadline, Bucks forward Jae Crowder has been all smiles since arriving in Milwaukee months later than he expected.
Despite trade interest from the Hawks, Wizards, Heat, Cavaliers, Mavericks, and other teams for several months – including a brief detour with the Nets as part of the Kevin Durant trade – Crowder kept his eye on one destination throughout, Milwaukee.
While Crowder waited for the Phoenix Suns to trade him, he worked with a trainer and a masseuse while working out twice daily. Crowder didn’t play any five-on-five and focused on individual work and body maintenance to be ready when he got the call.
After former Suns forward Cam Johnson suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee in early November, some around the league wondered if there could be a pathway to reconciliation for Crowder and the Suns. Despite Johnson’s lengthy injury, the Suns never discussed bringing Crowder back into the fold, nor did he express interest in a return, league sources told HoopsHype.
“Nah, there wasn’t a chance I was going to play there,” Crowder told HoopsHype. “Both sides knew that the road had come to an end. That came to an end way before Cam got hurt. I wasn’t going back on it, and they weren’t going back on it.”
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As noted above, Atlanta was one of the teams trying to acquire Crowder. The Hawks, Rockets, and Suns had exploratory discussions on a three-team trade. In that scenario, John Collins would’ve landed with the Rockets, Eric Gordon and KJ Martin with the Suns, and Crowder and Landry Shamet with the Hawks, but nothing of substance materialized, league sources told HoopsHype. Atlanta also tried to acquire Crowder in three-team trade talks with Utah and Phoenix centered around Collins going to Utah, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley going to Phoenix, and Crowder and Shamet going to Atlanta. Among the reasons this scenario didn’t materialize was a disagreement in draft pick compensation that would’ve gone to Utah in the talks.
The Wizards and Suns had trade talks centered around Rui Hachimura for Crowder, but Washington pulled out of the Crowder sweepstakes and sent Hachimura to the Lakers instead.
The Bucks tried to acquire Crowder through several other trade scenarios before finally landing him. One included a three-team trade where Crowder would’ve landed in Milwaukee, Grayson Allen in Charlotte with draft pick compensation, and Jalen McDaniels and salary filler in Phoenix. Charlotte was angling for a first-round pick in this scenario but couldn’t secure one in the trade talks, league sources told HoopsHype.
On Tuesday, Crowder faced the Nets for the first time since Brooklyn rerouted him to the Bucks before the trade deadline. Following Milwaukee’s win at Barclays Center, Crowder was asked if he ever thought he’d remain with Brooklyn past the trade deadline.
“Honestly, I think this situation was so far along in the negotiation talks that I was destined to be here,” Crowder told HoopsHype. “I was trying to get here. That’s what it was. It had nothing to do with their organization or team. I just felt like I was so far along in the negotiation period that I was talking to these guys (Bucks) for months. I wanted this situation to go down because I knew my role, and I didn’t want to go to a different situation without a role.”
Since joining Milwaukee, Crowder has been openly embraced by his teammates and coach Mike Budenholzer. After missing the first 60 games of the season, continuing to learn Milwaukee’s full playbook, and being on a minutes restriction, the Bucks are asking Crowder to bring defense and be a locker room leader comparable to PJ Tucker.
The Bucks are 4-0 with Crowder in the lineup since the trade deadline and extended their winning streak to 16 games with a win over Orlando on Wednesday. Given Crowder’s role and journey to get to Milwaukee this season, could he remain a Buck long-term when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer? Crowder hinted at the possibility.
“I think this team has what it takes to win a championship,” Crowder told HoopsHype. “That’s my main goal right now. I think once you win a championship, the rest of that stuff will take care of itself. My main goal, honestly, is not thinking about free agency or the summer. It’s all about winning the championship. I think that’s our locker room goal, and when I came into it, I knew that was the goal of the team.”
After several months of being in limbo with his free agency value and future hanging in the balance before finally beginning to settle in with Milwaukee, HoopsHype asked if he would’ve done anything different throughout his trade request and experience since the summer.
“I’d do it all over again,” Crowder replied.
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