Jamal Crawford To Join Timberwolves On Two-Year, $8.9 Million Deal
The Minnesota Timberwolves continue to swing upward (and older) in free agency, now set to snag “shake and bake” maestro Jamal Crawford.
The Minnesota TimberBulls are bringing in… well, another former Bull (though this one hasn’t been with Chicago in over a decade). Jamal Crawford, who will be joining Minnesota on a two-year, $8.9 million contract after he clears waivers, began his career with the Bulls at the turn of the century.
Minnesota marks the seventh team of the 37-year-old’s dynamic career. This comes after the Los Angeles Clippers dealt Crawford as part of a three-way trade that would have landed him with the Atlanta Hawks, though as anticipated, the shooting guard immediately sought a buyout upon arrival. Crawford tweeted out a ‘thank you’ to the Hawks organization on Thursday, after the two sides reached a buyout agreement to make the 17-year veteran a free agent once again.
Jamal Crawford 2016–17 Stats:
12.3 points (41.3 field goal percentage, 36.0 3-point percentage), 1.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.7 steals
Fit:
Minnesota has gone through a drastic makeover this offseason, dealing Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn to the Chicago Bulls on Draft Day for Jimmy Butler (the two teams also swapped draft picks). Even more recently this offseason, the Wolves parted ways with fan favorite Ricky Rubio. With these moves and in conjunction with the signings of Taj Gibson and Jeff Teague, it appears Minnesota is getting its hands on veterans to complement its young, developing core. Crawford is the latest accessory, and at the moment, he stands as Minnesota’s oldest player by five years (Gibson and Cole Aldrich follow at age 32).
Age seemingly hasn’t caught up with Crawford quite yet, as he is often commended for looking like a near clone to his 20-year-old self that entered the 2000 NBA Draft. However, judging from how he’s performed with the Clippers last season (and dating back to 2014, really), it’s clear his production — while still remarkable for a player who’s been in the NBA since “Country Grammar” was released by Nelly— has declined. At this point in his career, Crawford should just continue to do what he does best in a role off the bench (after all, he has three awards that will speak for his effectiveness as a sixth man). Additionally, through stints with six NBA teams and seven playoff appearances, Crawford certainly adds experience and a solid veteran presence to the emerging Wolves, which is paramount to rebuilding teams.
(I’m still all for watching the maestro do his classic “shake and bake” and use his clutch gene though, if he has anything left in the tank.)
Grade: A
A two-year, $8.9 million contract isn’t that unreasonable for a player of Crawford’s caliber and age, even with his waning numbers and the player option on his new deal. The Wolves gain a high-quality veteran who has a wide array of experience and an immortal NBA life span, while Crawford earns a chance to mentor some youngsters in the dynamic, ever-growing potential situation of Minnesota.
