Jordan McRae Thanks Wizards for Saving His Career

The Washington Wizards reshuffled their backcourt by trading away guards Isaiah Thomas and Jordan McRae in separate deals Thursday.

Both were brought in with an opportunity to showcase they belonged in the NBA. And McRae flourished in his nearly two seasons with Washington.

This season McRae averaged a career-high 12.8 points in 22.6 minutes through 29 games with the Wizards

After being traded to the Denver Nuggets for Shabazz Napier, McRae reached out to Wizards’ beat writer Candace Buckner of the Washington Post to express his gratitude to the Wizards for saving his career.

Jordan McRae on his #Wizards experience: “Being out the league and trying to come back and then obviously getting a chance to come back. I texted the team today and said, ‘you guys have no idea what y’all did for me and my career.’"

— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) February 7, 2020

McRae went on to shout out each and every coach, player development staffer, trainer and equipment manager

“I thank and love all those guys. My relationships with them it means a lot more to me than they knew.”

— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) February 7, 2020

McRae added that the Wizards’ culture is “great” and detailed that general manager Tommy Sheppard alerted him he was being traded before the deal was finalized.

McRae: "The culture he’s building here is going to be really big here soon. Like I said, I would have loved to have been part of it but we all know how this business is ran but I loved it, I loved every minute of it."— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) February 7, 2020

McRae started his pro career with the Melbourne United after being a second-round pick in 2014 of the San Antonio Spurs.

McRae was out of the NBA by 2017 after playing on a pair of 10-day contracts with the Phoenix Suns in 2016 and with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016-2017.

The Wizards signed him on a two-way contract in 2018, McRae played his way into the NBA highlighted by a season-high 54 points in the G-League with the Capital City Go-Go.

With the Wizards going through a rebuild, McRae got the opportunity to show he belonged in the NBA. Highlighted by three games with at least 29 games while star Bradley Beal sat out seven games with a leg injury.

Now, McRae looks to fit into the Nuggets’ rotation as they contend for the playoffs in the Western Conference. While he will be in Denver, it appears McRae holds to heart the opportunity the Wizards afforded him.