New York Knicks Trade Rumors: Jamal Crawford Chatter Addressed
New York Knicks trade rumors about Jamal Crawford have still been popping up. Those Knicks trade rumors have been refuted by a report in the Los Angeles Times. Hidden along with talk about Kobe Bryant and his future with the Lakers is a bit of information about what the LA Clippers might do with Crawford. When it comes to the Knicks acquiring him, though, that rumor is now being reported as false.
Trading for Crawford seemed to make sense for the Knicks, as he could provide immediate impact coming off the bench. Despite being 35-years-old now, he can still score a lot of points in very little time. During the 2014-15 NBA season, he averaged 15.8 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.9 rebounds per game for the Clippers. That was while playing an average of 26.6 minutes a night off the bench. Good numbers for the veteran shooting guard, and a reason many teams might want him this offseason.
This will likely put an end to any New York Knicks trade rumors when it comes to Jamal Crawford, even though he is familiar with personal success at Madison Square Garden. Crawford played five seasons for the Knicks before getting dealt to the Golden State Warriors for Al Harrington in November of 2008. A return would find him playing with an entirely new roster than during his time there.
Crawford is set to make $5.675 million for the 2015-16 NBA season, which is a pretty reasonable rate for “instant offense” off the bench. The Los Angeles Clippers aren’t looking to trade him because he isn’t performing, but rather because his salary is more expensive for a team over the cap. Keeping him on the active roster will incur a hefty luxury tax penalty, so the front office is looking to include him in a deal that doesn’t bring back much salary in return.
As team president Phil Jackson looks to continue improving the roster in New York, there are bound to be additional rumors linking the team to available players. Jackson knows that the fans are tired of losing, and that he needs to put a winning product on the court for the upcoming season. After adding players like Robin Lopez and Arron Afflalo during the offseason, at least there is a veteran presence that could win enough games to make the postseason. Due to how badly the team played last year, though, more New York Knicks trade rumors should be expected until the team can prove it has improved.
[Image Source: Jeff Gross / Getty Images]
