NBA Rumors: Miami Heat to continue their pursuit of Jae Crowder
Former Miami Heat star Jae Crowder could possibly return to his old team this season. There have been reports that Miami Heat are still looking to improve their squad this year.
That said, adding Crowder to the mix is one way the team could enhance their rotation. According to Heat Nation, the organization is doing its best to acquire the former Heat player.
According to Sam Amico of Hoops Wire, Jae Crowder, whose relationship with the Phoenix Suns broke down and prevented him from even playing this season, has drawn interest from the Miami Heat, who have been considering multi-team trades as a way to acquire him.
Why does the Miami Heat want Jae Crowder?
Jae Crowder had a successful run with the Miami Heat in the 2019-2020 season. He was able to make it all the way to the NBA Finals and played a vital role in the team's lineup.
Despite their accomplishments that season, Miami decided to let go of Crowder, sending him to the Phoenix Suns the following season. However, it seems that the Heat are in need of his services once again.
The team acquired Jae Crowder mid-season back in February 2020. He wasn't exactly performing well for his former squad, the Memphis Grizzlies. Before joining the Heat, he averaged 9.9 points and 6.2 rebounds. In reality, those numbers are decent for a role player, but it was his shooting percentage that was bad. He shot only 29.3% behind the arc and 36.8% overall.
When Crowder was sent to the Heat on a three-team deal, his shooting accuracy was suddenly boosted. He averaged two career highs in both shooting marks with 48.2% FG and 44.5% 3-point FG. He also averaged 11.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals.
Luckily for Crowder, he found the same success when he transferred to the Suns the following season. He made his second straight finals appearance and was closer to winning the illustrious title.
Unfortunately, the player now wants out of Phoenix and is yet to play this season. The good news for the Heat is that they have an opening to finally reacquire a player that helped them make the Finals.