The name of Jordan McRae may not ring a bell at first. All most probably know that he is another one of those undervalued players who have hardly gained attention. But a closer look at his resume reveals that the 28-year-old is a one-time NBA champion, something he got with the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2016.
Looking back at that stint, the 6-foot-5 guard was hardly someone NBA fans would remember. He averaged 4.4 points and 1.1 rebounds in just 10.4 minutes of action. He was nothing more than a bench player who never got rolling. But things just changed when he moved on.
He started this season strong with the Washington Wizards. He played in 29 games averaging 12.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. But his fortunes took a turn when he was sent to the Denver Nuggets for Shabazz Napier. The 28-year-old agreed to a buyout with the Nuggets and two teams were interested in taking him in. The Detroit Pistons and the Phoenix Suns placed a waiver claim on McRae but the former won by their worse record compared to the Suns, ESPN reported.
Though they are out of the NBA playoffs, the Pistons still need to finish the current season. With Derrick Rose injured, McRae is expected to pick up from where the former NBA MVP left off. Looking ahead, the four-year veteran could also be part of head coach Dwane Casey's rebuilding plans.
McRae already shoed Casey and Pistons fans what he brings. He arrived in time for the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder and scored 10 first-half points of his 15 for the night. It was a tiring day for McRae but showed potential. Casey knows that he needs to start rebuilding and part of his plans is giving undervalued players a chance to shine, NBA.com reported.
“That’s what it is. I enjoy it. I get frustrated after games like tonight where we play well but not good enough to win. But that encourages me in that once we do get where we’re going – add some pieces, draft, whatever it is, add talent – it’s going to be something special. Hopefully, our fans see it. But we have a lot of work to do in that area,” Casey said.
It won't come as a surprise if the Pistons end up giving McRae a longer deal in the summer. That all depends on how he performs for the remainder of the current NBA season. But so far, he has made a good first impression to Pistons fans.
