Jae Crowder is overrated

[Chris22]

Crowder has the highest plus and minus on the team.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Every time I turn it's another Celts player being talked about in a negative light. Smaht is the hot guy to fawn over ATM but as soon as he doesn't play to expectations there will be these threads again. I have a feeling that the problem is "you" not the players.

[green_bballers13]

I think he's overrated by Celtics fans, not the NBA. I think he's a top 100 NBA player, which should make him a starter on most teams. I think he's miles away from an all star game, but he's not compensated like one. I think he plays the game with a sense of purpose, and can hit an open 3. He and Smart are probably our best defensive threats versus all star wings.

I like him, but don't love him. I would imagine most non-homers would agree.

[tankcity!]

I really don't get this negativity towards Crowder. Do people remember how bad he was when we first traded for him? If you are expecting anything more than a 3 and D guy, then you are going to be disappointed. And that is your fault for assuming he will be something more. Not everyone can be an all star, no matter how hard they work. I'm very happy with Crowder's development thus far. He is our James Posey. Now we need stars so he can play his role.

[footey]

Crowder's not made a lot of the clever ball swipe steals he was so good at last season. He doesn't attack the basket as much. But I had no idea how efficient his scoring had been.

Still glad he plays for us. Still one of the best bargains in the league.

[oldtype]

Think there's some merit in the idea that the team remembers how injuries ruined them in the playoffs last year, so they're not playing 120% on defense in the regular season anymore.  Crowder in particular should have learned this lesson dearly.

[PhoSita]

I agree with most of your post, PhoSita, but the part where Green and Brown could not make up for Jae's production or presence is absurd.  We are not talking about replacing someone putting up 25/8/8 and playing stellar defense.  Heck, Gerald Green sometimes scores 13 pts (Jae's average) in 10 minutes of action.  Green's career shooting #'s are also on par with Crowder's as well.

This assessment tells me that you really don't understand the relative value of these players.

[Surferdad]

1) His skin is thin. Gets offended by the slightest things and is not very professional on occasion. He could go off the boil any moment.

This has nothing to do with basketball, so I don't see how it's relevant

2) His defense is weaker. Is slower off of picks, has regressed as a man to man defender.

Our whole defense has regressed. Even AB is looking like a worse man-on-man defender this year.  It's hard to really say this year whether a player's defense has actually regressed, or if the team defense is just making them look worse, but Crowder is still a very good defender, probably just outside of the top 5 at the position (which is pretty stacked, with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguadola, and Lebron James)

3) Literally can't do anything besides shoot spot up threes this year. He's basically Jason Kapono.

He's shooting 54.2% on 2 pointers this year, including a ridiculous 81% from within 3 feet.  I don't know what else you expect from him

4) If he's not found open, he's essentially a black hole on offense (especially in our off the dribble, extra pass offensive philosophy)

He's averaging a career high 2.3 assists per game this year, 16th among small forwards.  Considering how little he has the ball in his hands, that's actually pretty good

5) One would think that his 3pt percentage is an anomaly this season. He's said that he's not changed any mechanics or made any changes. Every time he shoots a three, his balance is different. Sometimes he sticks his leg out. Sometimes he steps both feet into it, sometimes he jumps straight up. I think hes more of a 35-37% 3pt shooter and I don't think he can maintain 42% going forward, imo. If that happens, or he regresses even more he's essentially useless. A poor man's Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.

...so one of the reasons you think he's overrated is because you think he's worse than he actually is?

I say trade him when people think his value is "high." No one knows what Hayward will do in FA. I say package him for Hayward, Jabari, etc. Hayward's game would age extremely well and his quality could be top notch even into 32-33. Jabari is so young and by the time he is 25-27 we could be real contenders.

Trading him for Hayward (who is going to be a FA this summer) would be a mistake. Don't trade good/great assets for a guy that doesn't make you a contender and that you could just sign in FA.  Jabari would be an interesting option, but there's no way Milwaukee makes him available.

It seems like the problem is you underrating him, not others overrating him

TP.  End of discussion.

[Phantom255x]

You know, when Crowder went on the rant that night on Twitter, I thought he was overreacting. I understood his frustration BUT thought he went overboard when he said stuff like "I have no problem leaving"...

But I mean, you come here and see threads like this. I mean, REALLY? We're really calling Crowder overrated without looking at the stats and what he does for this team night in and night out (especially on the defensive end). His 3 point % is pretty good too.

Crowder is who he is. A great 3 and D player on a bargain contract. The Cavaliers know the worth of that, as when JR Smith got injured they wasted no time in acquiring Korver. The Knicks are in dire need of a Crowder-like player.

What's next? Isaiah Thomas is overrated? Jaylen Brown is clearly a bust if he has a bad game soon?

[Greyman]

Before we talk about overrated or underrated, you need to know what he is rated in the first place.  If you think he is a borderline star or are not willing to include Crowder in trades for all-stars (e.g., Butler) along with other valuable assets, then you are likely overrating him.

Crowder is a nice, solid player.  Will never be an all-star but can definitely help a contender.  He's also on a nice contract.  But he's upgrade-able.

About sums it up. He won't be a starter when the build is complete (probably). He can still do a job on a contending team, though he may care less if he reads this thread.

[GreenWarrior]

just because a guy is a bargain contract doesn't mean he can't be overrated. because the truth is he is, esp. if the rumors are true that ainge turned down a deal with the bulls for butler because he didn't want to give up crowder or Bradley.

[Phantom255x]

Before we talk about overrated or underrated, you need to know what he is rated in the first place.  If you think he is a borderline star or are not willing to include Crowder in trades for all-stars (e.g., Butler) along with other valuable assets, then you are likely overrating him.

Crowder is a nice, solid player.  Will never be an all-star but can definitely help a contender.  He's also on a nice contract.  But he's upgrade-able.

About sums it up. He won't be a starter when the build is complete (probably). He can still do a job on a contending team, though he may care less if he reads this thread.

Or he will feel disrespected by this thread and start scoring 20+ for the next few nights.

[Phantom255x]

just because a guy is a bargain contract doesn't mean he can't be overrated. because the truth is he is, esp. if the rumors are true that ainge turned down a deal with the bulls for butler because he didn't want to give up crowder or Bradley.

So you're telling me you would have traded #3, #16, Bradley and Crowder for Butler.

Wow.

[Boris Badenov]

Before we talk about overrated or underrated, you need to know what he is rated in the first place.  If you think he is a borderline star or are not willing to include Crowder in trades for all-stars (e.g., Butler) along with other valuable assets, then you are likely overrating him.

Crowder is a nice, solid player.  Will never be an all-star but can definitely help a contender.  He's also on a nice contract.  But he's upgrade-able.

About sums it up. He won't be a starter when the build is complete (probably). He can still do a job on a contending team, though he may care less if he reads this thread.

Or he will feel disrespected by this thread and start scoring 20+ go 0-4 for the next few nights.

[Phantom255x]

Before we talk about overrated or underrated, you need to know what he is rated in the first place.  If you think he is a borderline star or are not willing to include Crowder in trades for all-stars (e.g., Butler) along with other valuable assets, then you are likely overrating him.

Crowder is a nice, solid player.  Will never be an all-star but can definitely help a contender.  He's also on a nice contract.  But he's upgrade-able.

About sums it up. He won't be a starter when the build is complete (probably). He can still do a job on a contending team, though he may care less if he reads this thread.

Or he will feel disrespected by this thread and start scoring 20+ go 0-4 for the next few nights.

Maybe after that little stretch I hypothesize, because the night he felt disrespected he put up 21, then went cold again.