With NBA free agency set to open in the next few hours, it’s no surprise that NBA rumors surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks are at an all-time high, especially considering how they are expected to be heavily impacted by the developments in free agency.
Jae Crowder is a big name to watch for the Bucks as the 11-year veteran makes a major decision on his future with the squad. Crowder is set to become a free agent, and while there has been talk about his potential exit after just half a season in Milwaukee, it appears that all signs are now pointing to the Bucks retaining the services of the 32-year-old.
Jae Crowder Is ‘Expected To Return’ To The Bucks

Crowder himself gave a clear indication of his doubt regarding his future in Milwaukee. This is after the 6-foot-6 forward admitted that he was “very confused” as to why the Bucks traded for him in the first place. Milwaukee gave up quite a haul to acquire the services of Crowder from the Phoenix Suns, which included no less than five future second-round picks. In spite of their heavy investment in him, the Bucks used him sparingly throughout the campaign. In their first-round NBA Playoffs series against the Miami Heat, the former Marquette standout averaged just 10.2 minutes per game.
Be that as it may, there now appears to be a clear path for Crowder to return to the Bucks for at least another year. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the general expectation right now is that Crowder will be back in a Milwaukee uniform in 2023-24:
“Jae Crowder is expected to return to Milwaukee after the Bucks sacrificed five second-round picks to acquire the veteran forward at the trade deadline. But Crowder also has an interest in rejoining the Miami Heat, sources said,” wrote Fischer.
The one thing to note here is that the Bucks have a new head coach in Adrian Griffin. This gives Crowder a clean slate with the team, and he’s probably banking on the fact that the new shot-caller is going to give him more opportunities this coming season.
Jae Crowder Has Shown Interest In A Reunion With The Miami Heat

As Fischer indicated in his above report, Crowder also has interest in a potential reunion with the Miami Heat. He was with the team in the NBA bubble and was an internal part of the Heat’s 2020 NBA Finals run. Jae’s time in Miami may have been brief, but he definitely made an impact on that team. As such, it would not be surprising if coach Erik Spoelstra and his staff consider bringing Crowder back into the fold, especially with this recent development.
Then again, this could all be smoke screen. Crowder will obviously want to get the best deal possible for him and with supposed interest from an opposing team, he could prompt a bit of a bidding war for his services.
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