Clippers, Knicks reportedly among seven teams eyeing Jamal Crawford
Heat, Raptors, Mavs, Magic and Nets also reportedly interested in the three-time Sixth Man of the Year
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2 min read
Jamal Crawford's No. 1 option in free agency is to return to the Los Angeles Clippers. He and the New York Knicks also have mutual interest in a reunion. In free agency, you have to keep your options open, and according to the Orange County Register's Dan Woike, the three-time Sixth Man of the Year will have a few options beyond those teams:
Doc Rivers, the Clippers' president of basketball operations and coach, has said he hopes to re-sign Crawford. But while Crawford's had success in Los Angeles, and it's his first choice, he is no lock to stay.
Crawford, who does have a meeting scheduled with the Clippers, is also drawing interest from a number of teams in search of a scoring guard. Crawford is expected to receive interest from the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat, the Toronto Raptors, the Dallas Mavericks, the Orlando Magic and the Brooklyn Nets in addition to the Clippers.
"I definitely have to keep an open mind and see what's out there," Crawford said. "That's why you're in this position. My preference, like I've said from the get go, is to go back to the Clippers. But, I'm definitely very, very open-minded about the whole free-agency process."
Let's break this down:
1. The Heat could use some more offensive firepower, and Crawford can provide that. They already have Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade and Josh Richardson in the backcourt, but he is a different type of player. They're likely to chase bigger names when free agency begins, and if they land one, then Miami might be an even more attractive destination for Crawford.
2. It's strange to see the Raptors on this list, as they let 2015 Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams walk in free agency last summer, opting instead to focus on improving their defense. Williams is a similar player to Crawford -- and assuming they re-sign All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan -- they don't need another guard who is best with the ball in his hands.
3. The Mavericks always seem to find ways to to get the most out of veterans like Crawford, who turned 36 in March. Like the Heat, they are expected to try to make a big splash in free agency, but they could come back to Crawford, if and when they want to add role players. Their roster could look almost completely different in a few weeks, so it's hard to talk about fit right now.
4. If Crawford is happy to be a mentor to young players, then he should consider the Magic. They have some promising young players, and the Serge Ibaka trade indicates that they are going to do everything they can to get back in the playoff picture. They're in need of some playmakers off the bench -- assuming they do not bring Brandon Jennings back.
5. What's there to say about the Nets? They're essentially building a team from scratch, so Crawford would have to be OK with losing lots of games. He might be able to get all the shots in the world there, but if he really loves New York, the Knicks seem like the better option at this stage of his career.
Of course, this could all be moot if the Clippers are prepared to bring Crawford back at market value. He has been comfortable with the Clippers, and they believed they had a shot at competing for a title if they were healthy this season.
Despite all of the trade rumors that surrounded Crawford last summer, do not rule out the possibility of him re-signing with Los Angeles.
