Jae Crowder trade grades: Who won deal involving Nets-Bucks?

The Brooklyn Nets made perhaps one of the bigger trades in NBA history late Wednesday night after sending SF Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns. Brooklyn recouped Jae Crowder, Cameron Johnson, Mikal Bridges and a small fortune of picks. After that trade, the Nets turned around and flipped Crowder to the Milwaukee Bucks for five second-round picks. We take a look at some grades for the deal for each team.

This trade is now a three-team deal involving the Indiana Pacers, who will acquire SF Jordan Nwora from the Bucks along with two second-rounders.

Nets: B

This isn't a bad flip of Crowder. Brooklyn is in the business of recouping picks after completely blowing up its roster. Kyrie Irving is gone. Durant is gone. The Nets now have a ton of picks to play around with and a almost clean cap situation going into the offseason. It's unclear if the Nets can recover from this but long-term, the franchise has a ton of flexibility.

Bucks: A-

Milwaukee gets rid of a bunch of (likely) useless second-rounders to add one of the premier 3-and-D wings in the NBA. Crowder has been sitting out all season seeking a trade and now he gets one. So the Bucks have a few months to get Crowder back up to speed and game shape before he can help them make a run at another championship.

Last season, Crowder started 67 games for the Suns, averaging just under 10 points per game while shooting around 35% from distance. Crowder is a 34.6% three-point shooter for his career and has a ton of playoff experience. Crowder helped the Miami Heat advance to the NBA Finals in the bubble back in 2020. He was also on the Suns when they advanced to the Finals against the Bucks two seasons ago and lost.

  
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