BOSTON – The Boston Celtics have a roster filled with players that most would agree are on team-friendly deals.
But the player whose contract seems to have the greatest amount of value – and thus makes him the least likely player to be traded – is small forward Jae Crowder.
As we get further removed from last February’s trade deadline, it becomes increasingly clear that Crowder was the most coveted player on the roster.
What’s not to like about him?
He’s young (Crowder turns 26 in July), versatile, produces when the opportunity has presented itself, and his contract – five years, $35 million signed last summer – may be the best bargain in the league among players not on rookie contracts.
When the Orlando Magic were interested in trading Tobias Harris, the Celtics were one of the teams they discussed as being a potential trading partner.
But when the Magic said Crowder would have to be included in the deal, talks between Boston and the Magic went nowhere afterwards, according to a league source.
Boston Celtics
The Magic eventually worked out a deal sending Harris to the Detroit Pistons.
“He’s a good player that has opened a lot of eyes since he left Dallas,” a league executive whose franchise pursued a possible trade for Crowder this season, told CSNNE.com. “That contract, his talent … he’s not untradeable, but he’s about as close to being untradeable on that team.”
This season, Crowder has averaged career highs in just about every statistical category such as scoring (14.2 points per game), rebounds (5.1) and assists (1.8), steals as well as shooting from the field (44.3 percent) and from 3-point range (33.7 percent).