The Miami Heat were eliminated in the first round of this year’s playoffs. Meanwhile, one of the team’s key contributors from last season’s run to the NBA Finals, Jae Crowder, is on his way to another conference finals.
Crowder looked back on his “genius” decision to sign with the Phoenix Suns in the last offseason. On Sunday, the Suns completed their sweep of the Denver Nuggets.
“I look like a genius, huh?” Crowder said of his relocation and the Suns’ unexpected success. “I know I look like a genius a little bit with my decision.
“And when I made the decision, you should have saw how many text messages I got, like, ‘What are you doing?’ and ‘Why you going to Phoenix, they haven’t made the playoffs in 10 years?’”
The veteran forward’s choice to turn down the Heat’s offer of a two-year deal in November last year may have been a head-scratcher at the time. After all, Miami was two games away from hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy a few months prior to his decision.
But Crowder opted for the security of a three-year contract that the Suns were willing to give him. Now, the 30-year-old veteran is enjoying another deep run into the postseason.