On Tuesday, Carmelo Anthony signed a deal with the Blazers. The news of a deal between Anthony and the Blazers was first reported on Thursday night. After passing his physical, Anthony will suit up for the Blazers as he embarks on a new journey.
Since last season, Anthony’s NBA future was a topic of conversation. He parted ways with the Houston Rockets after playing 10 games. The Rockets later traded him to the Chicago Bulls, who waived him shortly after. After that, Anthony remained unsigned until the Blazers picked him up.
Anthony’s wait is finally over. He has a fresh start with a new team, and if he contributes both him and the Blazers benefit. Anthony is no longer a free agent as his lengthy, unexpected wait has come to an end. But, other free agents aren’t so lucky. Another free agent waiting for an opportunity is Jamal Crawford.
Crawford was the 8th pick of the 2000 draft. He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Since then, he has won multiple Sixth Man of the Year awards and is one of the NBA’s best scorers. He played with teams such as the Chicago Bulls, the New York Knicks, the Atlanta Hawks and more. He last played for the Pheonix Suns.
Crawford remains a free agent, despite teams being aware of his abilities. When asked about his current situation, Crawford found it baffling.
“I know I can play,” Crawford told NBA.com, “and I would think my reputation is still solid. It’s baffling to me.”
Last season, Crawford averaged 7.9 points, 3.6 assists and 1.3 rebounds. Towards the end of the season, Crawford had a 51-point game against the Dallas Mavericks. He became the first player in history to score that many points off the bench. He also was the oldest player to score 50 or more in a game.
Crawford spoke on the performance and called himself an outlier.
“I’m kind of an outlier because you don’t see anyone my age having games like that,” Crawford said. “And I did it off the bench. A year earlier, in my 18th year, I was still averaging double figures. I can bring a multitude of things. I’ll be ready for whatever team decides how I can fit into what they’re trying to do.”
Despite getting older, Crawford proved he is still a scorer. When on a team’s bench, he can give them the offense they need. And he did just that with the Suns. So, there is a good chance to can do the same elsewhere. Is there a place for Jamal Crawford in the league? Absolutely. It is just a matter of which team needs him most.
Featured Image courtesy of Associated Press
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