NBA Trade Rumors: T-Wolves Need to Pounce on Struggling Jamal Crawford ASAP
For the first time in seemingly forever, the Portland Trail Blazers are not a playoff team.
They simply don’t have the star power alongside LaMarcus Aldridge to leap-frog multiple teams in the Western Conference only to lose in the first-round yet again.
That’s why offseason free-agent acquisition Jamal Crawford is on the trading block. The 31-year-old is reportedly being courted by the Minnesota Timberwolves according to ESPN’s Chad Ford:
"Crawford can opt out of his deal this summer so he won't cost much. I think the Blazers and Wolves are talking about a swap for Ridnour.
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It makes plenty of sense for both sides. Since Crawford could walk away for nothing at the end of the season, getting something in return is a smart move. For the Timberwolves, they would only have to pay a fraction of his $5 million salary and have roughly two months to convince him Minnesota has a bright future.
The T-Wolves are only a game back of No. 8 Houston (who is currently in free-fall mode) as the young squad continues to improve by the game. But they aren’t a complete team by any stretch of the imagination. They are missing a shooter off the bench to infuse energy into the second unit. With Ricky Rubio on board, Luke Ridnour really doesn’t provide them with much value at this point. At least not as much as Crawford would.
When Michael Beasley owns the best three-point percentage on the team (42-percent), you know there’s a problem. Crawford can help spread the floor for Rubio and would be getting plenty of wide-open looks.
With the struggles of Raymond Felton, Portland has experimented with Crawford at the point. This is a horrendous idea, and it has shown. Crawford’s numbers (14.5 points, 3.9 assists, 2.1 rebounds) are down across the board from his career averages and it’s because he isn’t being used as the volume shooting guard off the bench that made him so successful in Atlanta.
Ridnour (11.2 points, 3.9 assists) is the true point guard the Blazers desperately need right now. As rare as a pure point is in 2012, this trade certainly wouldn't be one-sided.
It’s a deal that makes sense for both sides and as luck has it, the two will be playing each other on Wednesday night.
Maybe it’s the last up-close look the two GMs need to pull the trigger.
