Jae Crowder quickly adjusting to life with Utah Jazz following trade

In his first few games with the Utah Jazz, newly acquired forward Jae Crowder is quickly adjusting to life in Salt Lake City after being traded from Cleveland.

Most of the time, when players are traded from one team to another midway through the season, things take a little time in clicking with that new player and his new team.

For newly acquired Utah Jazz forward Jae Crowder, however, that hasn’t really been the case at all.

Crowder found himself in the middle of the 2018 NBA Trade Deadline last Thursday, when his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, made multiple moves to give their roster a new look heading into the home stretch of the regular season and into the postseason.

As a result of those trade deadline moves, Crowder was sent from Cleveland to Utah in a three-team trade that included the Sacramento Kings.

Utah isn’t a unfamiliar place for Crowder, however. While he was growing up, his dad, Corey, played in 51 games for the Jazz during the 1991-92 season, having a limited role coming off the bench.

That time brought back a lot of positive memories for Crowder — which he took to Instagram following the trade to talk about — making the transition to Salt Lake City even smoother.

"“It was meant to be. I’ve been a fan of the Jazz organization for a long time with my dad being a part of it. I feel good, I feel at home,” Crowder said in an interview after his arrival to Utah. “I feel like I fit right in with these guys.”"

Following his debut with Utah on Sunday night, Crowder talked postgame about why he enjoys being in Utah and what makes it fun playing with the Jazz this season.

"“These guys have welcomed me since I’ve come in the door and playing on the court with them is very, very, very fun,” Crowder said in an interview after the game. “I got back to having fun playing basketball … I love playing with them and love playing within a system.”"

With all of those things combined with getting out of what appeared to be a toxic Cavaliers locker room, Crowder has thrived early on with the Jazz.

In 53 games with Cleveland to start the season, the forward averaged 8.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 41.8 percent from the field and 32.8 percent from behind the arc.

It’s a small sample size, but Crowder is averaging 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in two games with Utah following the trade deadline. He is also shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3.

Whether it’s being reunited with longtime friend Jonas Jerebko, returning to a team and an organization that his dad once played for, fitting in properly within a system under Quin Snyder or the sense of a fresh start after an short stint with the Cavaliers, Crowder appears to be comfortable and adjusting to life quickly in Utah.

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In the end, the faster that happens and the more chemistry Crowder and the Jazz build this season, the better off everyone in Utah will be — both this year and looking ahead to the future.