Free agent Jae Crowder coming to Sacramento for workout as Kings prepare for training camp
A veteran free agent with extensive playoff experience is coming to Sacramento to workout with the Kings as they prepare for training camp to begin Oct. 1.
Sources told Fox 40’s Sean Cunningham that Jae Crowder will participate in workouts with members of the Kings’ current roster at their Golden 1 Center practice facility this week.
Crowder’s stop in Sacramento doesn’t necessarily mean the Kings are looking to sign him, but they have an open roster spot and a tough 3-and-D wing would address a need given the team’s lack of depth at the forward spots. The Kings reportedly brought in Isaiah Thomas, Lonnie Walker IV, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Tony Bradley for similar workouts recently.
Crowder, 34, is a 6-foot-6, 235-pound forward. The 12-year veteran came out of Marquette as the 34th overall pick in the 2012 draft. He spent three years with the Dallas Mavericks and three with the Boston Celtics before bouncing around the league over the past seven seasons, spending time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.
Crowder averaged a career-high 14.2 points and 5.1 rebounds for the Celtics in 2015-16. He helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals in 2019-20, averaging 11.9 points and 5.4 rebounds. He helped the Suns reach the finals in 2020-21, averaging 10.1 points and 4.7 rebounds in 60 games, including 42 starts. Crowder has appeared in 115 career playoff games with six different teams.
Crowder spent the past two seasons with the Bucks. He appeared in 50 games last season, averaging 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 23.1 minutes per game.
Crowder is a career 34.8% 3-point shooter. He made 34.9% from beyond the arc last season after hitting 43.6% in 2022-23. He shot a career-best 44.5% on 6.4 attempts per game for the Heat in 2019-20 and 38.9% on 6.3 attempts for the Suns in 2020-21.
The Kings will likely start DeMar DeRozan and Keegan Murray at the forward positions. The only other forwards on the roster are Trey Lyles and Jalen McDaniels, although Kevin Huerter and Keon Ellis have both logged minutes at the small forward spot.
Crowder would command a veteran minimum salary, which is $3.3 million for a player with 10 or more years of experience. The Kings are well over the $140.6 million salary cap for the 2024-25 season, but they are $4.9 million under the first luxury tax apron, according to Spotrac.
This story was originally published September 11, 2024 at 2:06 PM.
