Now is the time for the Boston Celtics to pursue Jae Crowder via trade

With reports coming out that the Boston Celtics have strengthened their bench unit with the acquisition of veteran forward, Danilo Gallinari, they should now try to find a player who can ease the workload off of the shoulders of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

That player could be a former shamrock in Jae Crowder.

The pesky forward has settled himself as a scrappy defensive-minded player who can knock down 3-pointers at quite an efficient rate. During his two years spent suiting up for the Phoenix Suns, Crowder has converted 2.2 shots on 5.9 attempts from deep, good for a sound conversion rate of 36.9 percent.

What also helps Crowder’s case is that he has experience playing in multiple NBA Finals, with the Miami Heat during the bubble in 2020 against the Los Angeles Lakers and, most recently, with the Suns against the Milwaukee Bucks the following year.

Throughout both series, he averaged 11.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 41.5 percent shooting from the field and 37.2 percent shooting from distance.

Acquiring Crowder from Phoenix seems to be a real possibility for the Boston Celtics this offseason.

Getting him would most likely involve one of their lucrative Traded Player Exceptions (TPEs) that they currently possess, for he enters the final year of his contract coming at a salary value of $10.2 million for the 2022-23 season.

It would also be a resounding reunion for both parties.

Crowder gave Boston a lot to be proud of when they first obtained him from the Dallas Mavericks back in 2014 via the Rajon Rondo transaction. His tenure with the C’s included multiple playoff appearances and an appearance

in the Eastern Conference Finals back in 2017 whilst serving as a key starter.

Having him return to take care of unfinished business would be poetic justice and, if he can be absorbed with one of Boston’s TPE’s, such a move makes a ton of sense for the franchise.