- Tyler Herro takes brutal shot at Stan Van Gundy for making fun of his fashion on Miami Heat bench
- Report: Gabe Vincent ‘wanted to play’ in Game 5, is trending toward playing in Game 6
- Udonis Haslem looked to LeBron James with fate of NBA bubble in question: ‘If you ain’t playing, the Heat are out’
- Miami Heat release update on Gabe Vincent ahead of Game 6 vs. Boston Celtics
- Stephen A. Smith says Miami Heat need to win Game 6: ‘You’re not beating Boston in a Game 7’
- Jimmy Butler on why he still remains confident despite dropping Game 5 to Boston Celtics
- Jaylen Brown issues yet another warning to Miami Heat after Boston Celtics win Game 5
- Erik Spoelstra’s NSFW response to doubters still saying Miami Heat are underdogs to Boston Celtics
- Report: Miami Heat rule out Gabe Vincent for Game 5 due to ‘limiting’ ankle sprain
- NBA insider floats trade idea that would send Joel Embiid to Miami Heat for Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and other pieces
Jae Crowder’s not-so-subtle hint indicates he wants to reunite with Miami Heat
- Updated: August 31, 2022
Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder offered a subtle hint on social media that the Miami Heat should again consider acquiring him either this season or after when he becomes a free agent.
Jae Crowder pinned this comment on Instagram telling Miami to bring him back 👀
(h/t @HeatAccess) pic.twitter.com/279pFuaZXk
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) August 31, 2022
Crowder has been with the Suns for the past two seasons, but cracks in that relationship have apparently surfaced during the offseason. That’s led to speculation that the veteran may be seeking a return to the Heat, with the team possibly pursuing such a deal.
The 32-year-old Crowder, who’s been in the NBA since the 2012-13 season, was acquired by the Heat in February 2020 as part of a three-way deal that also included Andre Iguodala and Solomon Hill joining the franchise.
Short Stint
Just over a month after that trade, the NBA shut down its season in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. When play resumed in late July of that year, Crowder played an effective role as the Heat navigated their way to a finals berth.
However, during the brief offseason that followed, Crowder chose to enter free agency and subsequently sign with the Suns. He signed a three-year deal that will be ending at the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign.
Crowder’s departure from the Heat worked out well during his first year in the Valley of the Sun. That’s because Crowder was once again part of a franchise that reached the finals, while the Heat made a quick exit in the postseason.
Last year, the Suns stumbled in the Western Conference semifinals, losing to the Dallas Mavericks in seven games. In that seventh game, the Suns endured the humiliation of getting blown out in the first half and were never able to recover.
Crowder then offered a cryptic tweet on Aug. 1 that seemed to make his future with the Suns uncertain.
CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.. GROWTH IS OPTIONAL.!! I BELIEVE ITS TIME FOR A CHANGE… I WANNA CONTINUE GROWING.!
— JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) August 1, 2022
In the final year of Crowder’s three-year deal with the Suns, he’ll be making just under $10.2 million. In any potential deal, Crowder’s modest statistics seemingly wouldn’t require the Heat to give up a great deal of return.
Given the fact that Crowder has yet to come right out and say he wants to be dealt, speculation about his future will likely to continue to flourish.
Training camps begin in less than a month, so whether Crowder ends up donning a Heat jersey is a question that still might not be answered even by then.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login