The Sacramento Kings have made Jae Crowder a top trade target, and a Crowder trade is expected to be completed shortly. This addition comes at the right time because Crowder will strengthen their roster amid a tough start in the ongoing 2024-25 season. The Kings have an 8-10 and are on a four-match losing streak so management is likely to reinforce their frontcourt with a few strong signings. Crowder has had quite a few playoff runs in his career and a seasoned player like him will definitely help the Kings in their journey to redeem the season.
Jae Crowder: A Proven Veteran
Jae Crowder, a 34 year old professional player, rejoins an NBA team as a Los Angeles Kings member. He began his career in the cavaliers, spent some time with the heat and more recently with the Bucks. He reached the finals with the Miami Heat in 2020 and the Phoenix Suns in 2021. At this stage, he is contributing roughly 9.3 points and collecting around 4.2 boards, and 1.6 assists per game. A good basketball player, especially for a non-center, several statistics could be routine. Among his positives are: powerful shots and aggressive defense.
In that perspective, playing off the bench for the Bucks for 68 games, he averaged 6.4 points per game and 3.4 rebounds per game making sure he gets a point across. For sure he can play offensive for the team as well because his KPIs stands at 43.7% from the floor and 37.1% from three.
The Kings’ Current Situation
It has been tough season for the Kings and the injuries are not making it any easier. Trey Lyles will most likely not be available for the next three to four weeks as he is nursing his strained calf muscle he sustained during the Oklahoma City Thunder game. DeRozan too will be absent in the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves as he has lower back inflammation.
As it is, these injuries have made their life even tougher for the Kings thanks to the absence of any active player on both ends of the court. The team has been trying to find ways to improve their game ever since the off season which was characterized by the signing of DeRozan, a six time All Star. However, the KIngs front office staff woke up and understood that something had to be done now and replaced the target with Crowder.
Crowder’s Fit with the Kings
Crowder’s addition will also be an added advantage for Sacramento in many ways. His multipositional defense is important for every team that wants to first improve its defense. In addition, he has been through a number of tough playoff series and that experience can prove helpful for the younger players. Head coach Mike Brown has already begun making changes in hopes that winning will solve all the problems after poor performances recently. The potential addition of Crowder would bring lots of strength and options in terms of rotation and matchups with different players. With Crowder likely making his season debut on Wednesday against the Timberwolves, the forward will look to stabilize the struggling lineup while also contributing immediately on both ends the floor.
The Importance of Depth in the NBA
There is an abbreviation for the NBA, ‘business’, and it should be considered. Crowder’s addition could bring many advantages to the Kings, and they already know some of them. In these challenging times also considering their 82 game schedule, having experienced players who can actually perform during injuries is key to staying competitive.
In this situation, King’s decision to go after Crowder makes sense; they know that they will need to build up their frontcourt depth for the long haul. It doesn’t take a genius to see that this season, Sacramento aims to make the playoffs in a competitive Western Conference. Therefore, they set targets, in this case, Crowder, who is not only a decent scorer but a good defender. Sacramento needs someone who can contribute at both ends of the court, especially considering that the Kings had a rough start and are attempting to turn the tide.
Looking Ahead
Although it is unclear what exactly Crowder’s purpose will be when he joins the Kings or how he will fit into the team’s system, one thing is certain: his signing comes at a critical point in time for Sacramento. With the Kings set to take on Minnesota – a team that has already trumped them twice this season – there is no doubt that all hands will be needed on deck if they are to change their fortunes around.
Jae Crowder’s move to the Sacramento Kings will not be seen as a short-term fix for the current roster issues but more of a long-term objective which will improve the overall structure of the team while going through a turbulent time in the season. Considering that he has been there and done that on multiple occasions, Crowder could be exactly what the Kings require to change their season for the better and make a push for the playoffs in the cut-throat NBA.