Robb: A Year After Trade, Jae Crowder Is A Keeper For Celtics

BOSTON (CBS) – When the Celtics acquired Jae Crowder from the Dallas Mavericks one year ago, Brad Stevens wasn't an expert on the small forward.

"I knew he shot 34 percent from the corner three," Stevens said Friday night. "I knew people had told me that they thought he could be a pretty good player. I knew he was tough when he played at Marquette. And I knew nothing else."

At the time of the deal, Crowder was viewed by most as a role player in the five-player swap that sent Rajon Rondo and Dwight Powell to Dallas for Crowder, Jameer Nelson, Brandan Wright and a future first-round pick. The biggest prize of the trade was supposed to be the protected first round selection, but as the one-year anniversary passes, it has become apparent that the most valuable piece within the swap was Crowder.

First, the 25-year-old helped to key the team's second half turnaround last season with his tenacious defense. It took a little while, but Stevens saw the versatility that Crowder could provide the team, especially after the trade of Jeff Green opened up minutes for the Marquette product off the bench. Crowder parlayed that play into a five-year $35 million contract this offseason.

"I thought he was really tough, but I didn't know that he could do all that he could do," Stevens said of Crowder. "When we played New Orleans last year and he had the 22-point game, and we won that game at home when we were really reeling, it was tough to find a win, tough to even find a chance to win, you started to see, like, hey, there's a guy that can do a little bit more than stand in the corner and shoot. He can drive it a little bit. He can pass. We know he's a competitor. And being able to guard all those positions is just huge."

Expectations were heightened for Crowder this year after signing his new contract, but the wing is already making that agreement look like a relative bargain while thriving as the team's full-time starter on the wing.

The former second round pick is averaging 12.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and is also shooting 36.4 percent from beyond the arc, all of which are career highs. Crowder's influence has also been felt inside the team's locker room, where he has helped set a strong tone among the team's emerging core.

"I just think he's a competitive young guy," Stevens said of Crowder's influence. "And I think we've got a number of competitive young guys. It makes for a fertile environment for growth. I think that's one of the things that has been a real focus of ours that we keep in mind that a lot of these guys have been solid contributors already, but can get better. And we have to prioritize that."

There's no greater sign of Crowder's impact on the team's success than the team's win-loss record since he arrived in town, as Celtics play-by-play voice Sean Grande pointed out earlier today. The numbers don't lie about the advancement the franchise has made in the Crowder era.

"I think we've just tried to make progress every single day," Stevens said of the team's positive track record since making the deal. "I think obviously Jae Crowder's done a great job for us and has continued to improve, and hopefully will continue to improve. But we traded a very impactful player here for a lot of years. But I think that I feel good about, even after a couple of games lost in a row, when I'm not feeling as good about life, I feel really good about our progress that has been made regardless."

The Celtics have a ways to go before taking the next step and becoming a contender in a crowded Eastern Conference. However, the future remains bright in Boston, and Crowder's presence is one of the biggest reasons why. Danny Ainge has several holes to fill in the upcoming months, but a strong defensive presence on the wing is not one of them.

Brian Robb covers the Celtics for CBS Boston and contributes to NBA.com, among other media outlets. You can follow him on Twitter @CelticsHub.