Crowder starts and adds to the Kings’ victory hours after signing the contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
In a matter of less than 24 hours, Jae Crowder went from NBA free agent to Kings starter.
And what a memorable Kings debut it was for the veteran forward in Sacramento’s cathartic 115-104 road win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night at Target Center.
Crowder finished with eight points, four rebounds and a steal, although it was his defensive play late in the game on the Minnesota forward. Julio Randle that earned the proven veteran recognition as the Kings’ Defensive Player of the Game.
But perhaps most impressive was the 34-year-old’s ability to rush onto the field in such a short amount of time.
According to coach Mike Brown, Crowder landed in Minnesota at 11 p.m. Tuesday night but was not authorized to sign his contract with the Kings or play up to three hours before kickoff, having to first go through a series of physical tests and team meetings. The veteran even missed pregame shootaround.
“I had a physical exam and I was probably 20 minutes late this morning,” Crowder told reporters.
“Coach Mike introduced me and then we set up the matchups. I saw my name and said, ‘Shit.’ I’m on fire.’ I was so ready to get home, take a nap, and get my routine going.
“I didn’t know if I was going to play tonight, but once I walked into the meeting room with the guys, I saw my name. I was like, ‘Okay, it’s here.’ So I just prepared myself and tried to put my mind where it needed to be.”
Crowder, selected 34th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2012 NBA Draft, is in his 12th season and the Kings are his ninth team.
He’s the epitome of a league veteran with proven playoff experience, which is why Brown and Co. later hired him. Trey Lyles‘ Calf injury.
“Jae has been around for a long time,” Brown said. “He’s been in the league (for) 12 years. “He’s been to the playoffs 11 years in a row, so he knows what it takes to win.”
Crowder’s unquestionable defensive abilities cannot be overlooked either.
“Not only that, he’s a grown man and he can score 4, he can score 5,” Brown continued. “And if someone gets down to work in that area, he’s not going to back down. He’s going to fight much harder.
“You saw it again tonight: you’re not going to stop Julius Randle, but you have to fight him. And if he respects you (Julius, I mean), you might have a chance. And we just thought starting a game with Jae in front of him would be a little different than having a young guy on top of him right away.”
On the court, the Kings survived a third-quarter meltdown to rally after trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter, snapping their four-game losing streak.
Sacramento benefited greatly from De’Aaron Foxwho finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and Domantas Saboniswho scored 27 points and 12 rebounds despite having foul trouble in the third quarter.
Monk Malikwho praised Crowder’s veteran leadership after the game, scored a season-high 27 points off the bench, including 11 in the fourth quarter.
“He’s just a veteran, man,” Monk said of Crowder after the game. “A veteran, a great veteran, (who) knows how to play. I think he missed the playoffs one year of his 12 years in the league.
“Like I said, he just knows what to do on offense and defense. And (he is) just a great vet voice.”
With mentors like Dirk Nowitski, Vince Carter, Shawn Marion and Elton Brand, Crowder bills himself as a serial winner.
“Like I tell the guys, I really enjoy winning,” Crowder added. “I’m obsessed with it. I really enjoy winning.
“I love the process of winning. You can’t skip steps to win and I enjoy it. It’s difficult, but that feeling we have, that of winning, is what you pursue and what you prepare for.
“And that’s my message to the guys: we play winning basketball; We’re not going to win every game, but if we play a winning style of basketball, you’ll win more than you’ll lose. And that’s what it’s about. That is my message to the boys.”
On such short notice and with very little preparation, Crowder proved it Wednesday night, and surely the Kings can only be grateful for his arrival.