Jae Crowder's Strained Relationship With Monty Williams Was Central In Exit

[RealGM Wiretap]

During last offseason, Monty Williams called Jae Crowder to inform him he was losing his starting spot with the Phoenix Suns to Cam Johnson.

Crowder went on to request a trade from the Suns, which they accommodated him with while not requiring him to play for the team in the meantime.

Crowder was asked by Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports for more context on why the partnership couldn't move forward. Crowder would only confirm his strained relationship with Williams was central.

“Yeah, we had differences,” he told Yahoo Sports. "They asked me to keep it in house, I’ll keep it in house. I’m now gone, same thing I’ve told everybody else: I’ve moved on from the situation. I wish them the best, I’m leaving that behind.”

Crowder was part of the Suns' trade for Kevin Durant, but he was rerouted by the Brooklyn Nets to the Milwaukee Bucks.

“I landed where I wanted to land at the end of the day,” Crowder said. “I think I gained just knowing myself as a player and my mental. I never wavered. Never wavered on the process. From a month, to two months … I stayed with the plan of what it was and what I wanted to accomplish. So I give kudos to my mental and me staying sane throughout the entire process, because I did want the process to end fairly sooner than when it did.”

Via Jake Fischer/Yahoo Sports

[Darthlukey]

Your process, of blackmailing your team as a role player by not playing?

[nedleeds]

I got paid to do nothing because I pouted after losing my job to a better, younger player. But I've learned alot.

[tmorgan]

I’m using “kudos to my mental” to compliment myself from here on out.

[Revived]

So basically he was mad he lost his starting spot to a player that’s significantly better than him. Ok.

[Phystic]

It's hilarious that Crowder has continuously played the victim during this situation and not one single person is buying it .


Role player that couldn't accept being a bench role player

[MitchB3]

There's more to this story that the Suns doesn't want to get out.

[Crunch 99]

Crowder did not honor his contract with the Suns and deserves no sympathy. And ironically, he is fulfilling the role for Bucks, a PF coming off the bench, that he was obligated by contract to fulfill for the Suns and refused to fulfill. If by chance the Suns meet the Bucks in a Finals rematch, I will root for the Suns to win and for Suns' bench player Torrey Craig to outplay Jae Crowder in the process.

[chilluminati]

Wow this dude is literally brain dead

[Phystic]

There's more to this story that the Suns doesn't want to get out.

Why because Crowder says so?

Monty is about as wholesome as it gets. So even if there is it wouldn't be any more than him arguing with Ayton.

All evidence points to Crowder not being able to handle losing his starter spot to a better player. He claims it wasn't about contract but it very clearly is

[Scalabrine]

Crowder did not honor his contract with the Suns and deserves no sympathy. And ironically, he is fulfilling the role for Bucks, a PF coming off the bench, that he was obligated by contract to fulfill for the Suns and refused to fulfill. If by chance the Suns meet the Bucks in a Finals rematch, I will root for the Suns to win and for Suns' bench player Torrey Craig to outplay Jae Crowder in the process.

Seems like it was a mutual decision to have him stay away from the team, though.

[Crunch 99]

Crowder did not honor his contract with the Suns and deserves no sympathy. And ironically, he is fulfilling the role for Bucks, a PF coming off the bench, that he was obligated by contract to fulfill for the Suns and refused to fulfill. If by chance the Suns meet the Bucks in a Finals rematch, I will root for the Suns to win and for Suns' bench player Torrey Craig to outplay Jae Crowder in the process.

Seems like it was a mutual decision to have him stay away from the team, though.

Seems to me that a team would only mutually agree to this if they expected Crowder's presence and attitude to have a negative impact on the team. Teams don't normally pay a player $10 mill per year not to show up to work and be available to play.

[Scalabrine]

Crowder did not honor his contract with the Suns and deserves no sympathy. And ironically, he is fulfilling the role for Bucks, a PF coming off the bench, that he was obligated by contract to fulfill for the Suns and refused to fulfill. If by chance the Suns meet the Bucks in a Finals rematch, I will root for the Suns to win and for Suns' bench player Torrey Craig to outplay Jae Crowder in the process.

Seems like it was a mutual decision to have him stay away from the team, though.

Seems to me that a team would only mutually agree to this if they expected Crowder's presence and attitude to have a negative impact on the team. Teams don't normally pay a player $10 mill per year not to show up to work and be available to play.

You're probably right. He didn't see eye to eye with the coach and he would have probably been malcontent and divisive in the locker room. This is hardly the first time that teams have paid a player to not be around. It happens pretty regularly actually. They could have just bought him out but his contract was integral to getting Durant to PHX so it seems like it was money well spent.

[nedleeds]

CBA negotiations are going to be great for the owners, between Ben Simmons, Larry Sanders and this kindergartener they have plenty of ammo to put 'Won't show up to work' clauses in these deals. At a minimum they need to be able to get these deals off their cap, maybe the player gets some kind of buy out but it's insane that a player can both

- not show up to play because they're rectally wounded (Crowder) or want to play xbox instead of shooting free throws (Simmons)
- still get paid
- still take a roster spot
- still count against the cap

You can't have it all. Yes I know the team can trade the player, but at that point the value is tanked because the player has put out through sauces that they are just going to be a negative actor with their existing team.

[MitchB3]

There's more to this story that the Suns doesn't want to get out.

Why because Crowder says so?

Monty is about as wholesome as it gets. So even if there is it wouldn't be any more than him arguing with Ayton.

All evidence points to Crowder not being able to handle losing his starter spot to a better player. He claims it wasn't about contract but it very clearly is

You know I'm tired of people using this stupid narrative that (insert name) is a wholesome, great character guy, great father/husband. Nobody is talking about their God damn character, we're talking about his ability to coach and bring out the best in a player/team.

[Phystic]

There's more to this story that the Suns doesn't want to get out.

Why because Crowder says so?

Monty is about as wholesome as it gets. So even if there is it wouldn't be any more than him arguing with Ayton.

All evidence points to Crowder not being able to handle losing his starter spot to a better player. He claims it wasn't about contract but it very clearly is

You know I'm tired of people using this stupid narrative that (insert name) is a wholesome, great character guy, great father/husband. Nobody is talking about their God damn character, we're talking about his ability to coach and bring out the best in a player/team.

Huh? His character is a factor as it's being reported that Crowder specifically had issues with Monty. Now it may or may not be about his character but it's relevant in the fact that character would speak to decisions being done for the better of the team and not for personal feelings.

So not really sure what you're getting at.