Utah Jazz: Team awards at midway point in 2018-19 season

Sixth Man of the Year: Jae Crowder

Over the past few seasons, the first player off the bench for the Jazz has been a very key component to the operation in Utah.

After the trade and departure of Rodney Hood at the trade deadline in 2017-18, who served as the main spark and scoring threat off the bench for the Jazz, Utah was in search for another player to step up into that role this season.

So far throughout the course of the 2018-19 campaign, that sixth man has been Jae Crowder, who the Jazz acquired during the trade deadline a year ago. At the midway point of the season, Crowder has been the team Sixth Man of the Year in Salt Lake City.

Crowder is enjoying his best season since he really started to make a name for himself and opening eyes for teams around the NBA in 2015 with the Boston Celtics.

In 42 games in his first full season in Utah, Crowder is averaging 12.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.7 steals in 27.4 minutes per game.

Crowder is averaging the highest minute total out of all Jazz reserves this season, also having the ability to step into the starting lineup if needed at any point.

Along with providing Utah with a key two-way player, Crowder is having one of his best seasons offensively since his time in Boston, shooting his highest mark from 3 (33.3 percent) and tallying an effective field goal percentage of 51.4 percent, which is the highest total of his career since the 2016-17 campaign.

Overall this year, Crowder has been a solid sixth man off the bench for the Jazz, earning himself the midseason team Sixth Man of the Year award.