In Jae Crowder’s first game against his former team the Phoenix Suns, he expanded on his feelings towards the situation that eventually led to his departure.
With the rise of Cameron Johnson late last season, the discussion on whether Phoenix was interested in keeping Crowder was inevitable.
But instead of a discussion, the situation played out through a series of tweets and subtle shade thrown by Crowder.
Crowder did not participate in any games for the Suns this year. Instead, he acted as an empty roster spot that Phoenix seemingly could not fill despite numerous attempts.
This was until the blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant, where the Suns were able to sneak Crowder into the package and send him over to the Nets. Jae was quickly traded to the Bucs in a three-team deal.
And on Sunday morning, Crowder had the opportunity to face off against his former team for the first time since his departure. The Bucs came out victorious, and Crowder may have gotten the last laugh, unless the two teams see each other for a finals rematch.
During the matchup, a sideline reporter discussed the situation with Crowder:
“I didn’t want it to play out that way, but at the same time I just felt like I wasn’t wanted anymore, and it hurt me.”
Crowder also pointed out the irony of him landing on the Bucs roster, the same team that defeated Phoenix in the 2021 NBA Finals.
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