“The midrange-centric game may not be compatible with today’s NBA. The defensive effort is questionable. He’s got a media-driven label of being ball-dominant. Do many teams need a volume scorer?”
If you didn’t know any better, you might’ve thought I was referring to Carmelo Anthony, and the exact labels he proved he could overcome before the start of 2019-20. Funny enough, those same thoughts are attached to Jamal Crawford, and that’s established a dubiety among front offices league wide.
In November, Crawford watched as Anthony and Iman Shumpert left their in-city gyms and rejoined the NBA. Portland saw success on their end, and while it wouldn’t necessarily behoove them to consider Crawford, it could be of benefit.
Crawford’s remained in game shape, and the last time he played an organized NBA game, he went for 51 points on 18-of-30 shooting, a three-game demolition in which he averaged 35.3 points, 6.0 assists, and did so on a 53-50-95 line. Then there’s the off-court effect; unlike Anthony, there’s no such question as to if he would happily accept a bench role.
We discussed this yesterday; Portland’s bench ranks dead last in PPG (26.5), partially because the Blazers are hesitant to even use one (No. 29 in bench minutes used). Portland will desperately need to find a way to save Lillard and McCollum for larger hurdles, and signing the former 3-time Sixth Man of the Year could be the way to do so.
If the case is against signing Crawford, it likely has to do with Crawford’s first run in Portland, where rumors bounced that players “quit” on Nate McMillan after the 7-2 start, and he and Raymond Felton were among the Portland Trail Blazers who organized the mutiny to get him fired. That, or those defensive lapses we hear so much about.
That’s some now 8-year-old water under the bridge. Most times, it dries up by then. If the Portland Trail Blazers are looking to eliminate a key weakness, dialing up their ex could be crucial to doing so.