Jamal Crawford

[Section 101]

From ESPN Rumors

Look for the Kings to be a wildcard here, for a couple reasons. For one, Sacramento was one of the two finalists for Crawford last offseason before the Seattle-native elected to sign with the Blazers. Additionally, the Kings are looking for veterans to surround their young nucleus of talent, and need help at the perimeter. Lastly, Crawford is good friends with Isaiah Thomas, the Kings' infectious rookie who could help recruit him to play for the Kings.

Didn't like the move last year, like it even less now.

Also, he played with Smart as assistant coach at GS.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

Actually, if we end up with IT-Evans starting together, and we deal Thornton (something a long the lines of what Brick mapped out in his thread about the #2 pick) ... Crawford could find a spot on our roster as the version of Thornton that would be ok with coming in off the bench. If we go with a big and an SF (assuming we have #2 and #5 in the draft) we will be looking for a guard. Crawford could be that guy.

I still don't love it, but with some roster movement ... He'd be ok as a bench weapon.

 

[gunks]

Actually, if we end up with IT-Evans starting together, and we deal Thornton (something a long the lines of what Brick mapped out in his thread about the #2 pick) ... Crawford could find a spot on our roster as the version of Thornton that would be ok with coming in off the bench. If we go with a big and an SF (assuming we have #2 and #5 in the draft) we will be looking for a guard. Crawford could be that guy.

I still don't love it, but with some roster movement ... He'd be ok as a bench weapon.

+1. If this means we're moving Thornton, than I'm good with it. Otherwise...Smallball hell pt 2?

 

[Bricklayer]

From ESPN Rumors



Didn't like the move last year, like it even less now.

Also, he played with Smart as assistant coach at GS.

We need help on the perimeter according to the report?

BTW, Jamaal Crawford signs here as 3rd guard. With Thornton gone in trade. Ok, makes some sense, although Crawford is hardly the sort of "veteran" you lok for for leadership -- career selfish chucker journeyman who's made the playoffs twice? And then you watch Jamaal Crawford and IT try to play defense together...

As it was last summer such a move would of course be a no confidence vote in Jimmer, but really now we have some reason for that, and if 5'9" IT is now a fixture there is no way 6'2" Jimmer can be the third guard anyway.

 

[hrdboild]

Isn't Jamal Crawford exactly the type of guard we do not need to be adding to this team? We already tried Salmons/Tyreke/Thornton together as scoring guards who like to have the ball in their hands. Then we added Isaiah Thomas to the mix and as a result our best ballhandler barely touched the ball for whole games late in the season. Swapping one of Salmons or Thornton for Jamal Crawford might make us better on paper but it could very well make us worse in reality as what remains of the team game disappears into yet more isolation offense.

The only reason I would even consider bringing him in is that he's already accepted a role off the bench and we don't know if Thornton will. We'd have to move both Salmons and Thornton first and then make sure whoever we get at SF is comfortable playing off the ball.

 

[Kings Faithful]

It's ridiculous how many people are willing to move Thorton. Sure if we get some awesome deal go for it.... but he's a legit 18-20 ppg scorer, can play capable defense (not great but not terrible), but best of all... he's clutch. I don't like getting rid of clutch players. Beno was one of them.

 

[UK_King]

I was actually dumbfounded we offered him a contract last season, he wasn't too happy in Portland by all accounts either.

he's 32 as well, how much has actually got left, and thats before you think about how on earth he'd fit on this team.

 

[DesertFox]

Isn't Jamal Crawford exactly the type of guard we do not need to be adding to this team? We already tried Salmons/Tyreke/Thornton together as scoring guards who like to have the ball in their hands. Then we added Isaiah Thomas to the mix and as a result our best ballhandler barely touched the ball for whole games late in the season. Swapping one of Salmons or Thornton for Jamal Crawford might make us better on paper but it could very well make us worse in reality as what remains of the team game disappears into yet more isolation offense.

The only reason I would even consider bringing him in is that he's already accepted a role off the bench and we don't know if Thornton will. We'd have to move both Salmons and Thornton first and then make sure whoever we get at SF is comfortable playing off the ball.

Plus he's a terrible defender. I'm honestly not convinced he's a better choice than Salmons (who I detest).

 

[hrdboild]

It's ridiculous how many people are willing to move Thorton. Sure if we get some awesome deal go for it.... but he's a legit 18-20 ppg scorer, can play capable defense (not great but not terrible), but best of all... he's clutch. I don't like getting rid of clutch players. Beno was one of them.

I was just straining to come up with some justification for getting Crawford. I don't think he's better than Thornton, but a happy and motivated Crawford might be better than a malcontent Thornton who doesn't want to play off the bench when he signed a big contract understanding that he'd be a starter. Don't know whether that will be a problem or not, but it is a possibility.

 

[SacTownKid]

This team needs shooting, but where does a move like this leave Jimmer? Are they just going to play Crawford the way they tried to play Jimmer? If so save yourself the time and get a real PG don't try and change your shooters into pick and roll guards. It's like when they signed Hayes and used him as a backup C defending bench scrubs instead of the main defender against the leagues top PF's. They've recently been taking need fillers and trying to change them into something not only that they aren't, but that the team doesn't need. I just really hope whoever is in charge of assigning roles gets their head out of their ### this year.

 

[JMelho]

It's ridiculous how many people are willing to move Thorton. Sure if we get some awesome deal go for it.... but he's a legit 18-20 ppg scorer, can play capable defense (not great but not terrible), but best of all... he's clutch. I don't like getting rid of clutch players. Beno was one of them.

Lol I know. The guy can score. Just because the Kings have the luxury of a big man in Cousins, doesn't mean Thornton is easily expendable. With the way his name gets thrown in every mock trade conversation, you would think he averages 10 points and is a defensive liability.