Jae Crowder, who was traded to the Brooklyn Nets from the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, again was on the move Thursday as he was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks, he confirmed on Twitter.
“IT’S TIME TO WORK!!!” Crowder, who played in college at Marquette University, posted to Twitter. “I’M GLAD TO BE BACK HOME!!”
The move was part of a three-team trade that included the Indiana Pacers, sources confirmed to ESPN amid multiple media reports.
The Bucks are giving up five second-round picks — three to the Pacers and two to the Nets. Indiana also gets forward Jordan Nwora, guard George Hill and center/forward Serge Ibaka from the Bucks, sources said.
Crowder was dealt to Nets on Wednesday night as part of the trade package sent by the Suns in exchange for All-NBA forward Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren.
In making the trade, the Nets felt it had a chance to move Crowder to a contender and add a player before Thursday’s trade deadline.
Crowder hasn’t played all season after agreeing with the Suns to sit out while Phoenix explored trades for the veteran forward. He is in the final season of his contract but was facing a diminished role with the emergence of forward Cameron Johnson, one of the several factors that may have led to Crowder’s request for a trade.
Crowder returns to Milwaukee, where he averaged 17.5 points and 8.4 rebounds for Marquette during the 2011-12 season as he was an AP second-team All-America selection.
He played a key role in helping the Suns make the NBA Finals in 2021 but saw his scoring and shooting numbers dip slightly the following season.
The 6-foot-6 wing is known for his strong defense and has extensive experience playing deep into the postseason; he’s seen minutes in more than 100 playoff games and has started 86 for five different franchises. His nine consecutive seasons appearing in the postseason are tied for the fifth-longest active streak.
Nwora, 24, is averaging 6.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game this season. Hill, 36, is averaging 5.0 points and 2.5 assists in 19.1 minutes per game, while the 33-year-old Ibaka, who hasn’t played since Jan. 1, is averaging 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 16 games.
The Pacers will waive Goga Bitadze to make room on their roster, sources said.