Following news that Utah Jazz veteran swingman Jae Crowder is now on his way to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a trade deal centered around Mike Conley, it appears that Crowder will not be suiting up for the Grizzlies next season after all.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reports that Memphis are looking to offload Crowder as soon as the Conley trade becomes official.
The veteran defender, in the final year of a deal paying him $8 million, is ripe to be traded to a playoff team. He struggled shooting the ball last season but he fits the profile of a role player on a good team.
This does make a lot of sense for Memphis, as Crowder does not seem to fit in with what the team is trying to do right now. After trading away Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, the Grizzlies are entering a new chapter in their franchise and are currently on full rebuild mode. At this point, Crowder and his expiring contract is definitely more valuable for the team as a potential trading piece.
The Grizzlies, who will soon officially acquire him in the Mike Conley deal, are in draft-pick-acquisition mode and this is another chance.
Last season, Crowder put up 11.9 points (on a paltry 39.9 percent shooting), 2.2 three-pointers, 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 27.1 minutes of action off the Utah bench. The 28-year-old is no superstar, but can definitely prove valuable for a team that is looking to contend next season.
Follow Us
Subscribe