Jae Crowder played an essential role in the terrific 2020 postseason run by the Miami Heat. The Heat acquired Crowder back in February, and the veteran fulfilled all expectations. However, in the 2020 free agency, Crowder left the South Beach.
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The Heat penned down a heartfelt message on Instagram for Crowder following his departure.
“THANK YOU @BOSSMANN99 FOR YOUR GRIT AND 🔥 CAPTIONS.! 9️⃣9️⃣ PROBLEMS POSTING LIKE THIS AIN’T 1.!”
Crowder returned the favor with his own message to the franchise. He made a huge request from the team, asking them to not give his #99 to any other player.
“NOOO THANK YOU.!!! ITS LOVE FOREVER HEATNATION.!!! P.S DONT LET NOBODY ELSE WEAR THOSE 2 9’S.! YOURS TRULY 9️⃣9️⃣”
Crowder was instrumental for the Heat as he produced 12.0 points and 5.6 rebounds in the postseason. Furthermore, Crowder brought a veteran presence with him on and off the court.
This season, Jae will be playing for the Phoenix Suns, pairing up with Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton. The Suns will hope that Crowder can bring the same level of performance to the team as he did with the Heat.
What’s next for the Miami Heat?
Although Crowder was an excellent piece for the Heat, they still have plenty of star power on their roster. Most of their core from the NBA Finals is still intact, and they will only improve from here on.
Both Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo notched spectacular performances in the postseason. Couple that with Jimmy Butler‘s stardom and Goran Dragic’s leadership, the Heat still have the championship formula.
Moreover, following their 2020 postseason run, Eastern Conference teams will take them much more seriously.
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LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 18: Jimmy Butler enters at the 67th NBA All-Star Game: Team LeBron Vs. Team Stephen at Staples Center on February 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
Last season, the Heat surprised the NBA fraternity with their performance. But it wasn’t a fluke by any means as they earned each and every victory in the postseason.
They defeated some of the best teams of last season, Bucks and Celtics, to make it all the way to the Finals. However, this season, the Nets will also emerge as title contenders, and act as further hiccups in Miami Heat’s path to greatness.
But what are your thoughts? Can the Miami Heat repeat the same level of success as last season? Let us know in the comments section down below.
