NBA: Bucks acquire Jae Crowder from Nets

FILE PHOTO: Former Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Bucks are acquiring Jae Crowder from the Brooklyn Nets as part of a three-team trade, multiple outlets reported Thursday, hours after the forward was part of the trade that sent Kevin Durant to Phoenix.

The Indiana Pacers are acquiring forward Jordan Nwora, guard George Hill, center/forward Serge Ibaka and three second-round picks from Milwaukee as part of the deal, per the reports. The Bucks had to offload $10 million-plus in salary to accommodate the $10.1 million owed to Crowder, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported.

The Bucks are doling out two second-round picks to the Nets.

It’s unclear, however, who the Pacers are giving up in the deal.

In a corresponding move, the Pacers are waiving center Goga Bitadze to create roster space.

The Suns recently had granted the Bucks permission to meet one-on-one with Crowder, who was disgruntled with the Suns and hasn’t played all season. The Suns have been trying to trade Crowder since the beginning of the season.

Crowder was part of the package the Nets received from the Suns early Thursday morning to send Durant and T.J. Warren to Phoenix.

Crowder, 32, has career averages of 9.6 points and 4.3 rebounds.

Nwora, 24, is averaging 6.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in 38 games (three starts) this season, his third in Milwaukee. The Bucks selected Nwora in the second round of the 2020 draft.

Hill, 36, returns to Indiana, where he played from 2011-16. He’s averaging 5.0 points and 2.5 assists in 35 games off the bench this season.

Ibaka, 33, hasn’t played since New Year’s Day. He, too, has been away from the Bucks as they tried to find a trade partner for him. He’s averaging 4.1 points in 16 games this season.

Bitadze, 23, is averaging 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game this season for the Pacers, who selected him No. 18 overall in the 2019 draft.

Field Level Media