Al Harrington Finally Gets Traded, Warriors Get Jamal Crawford

So, it has finally happened according to several media outlets including ESPN.

Al Harrington has been traded to the New York Knicks for Jamal Crawford.

The trade benefits both players because Harrington is reunited with Donnie Walsh the man who drafted him out of high school to the Indiana Pacers and Don Nelson system is perfect for Crawford.

The benefit for the Knicks is similar to what Al Harrington did when the Golden State Warriors got him when he first arrived in Oakland.

The Knicks get a versatile scorer who can play inside or outside. Harrington is pretty much going into the same system he was in under Nelson, but they will not force him to guard other teams' power forwards. Instead, the Knicks will use him at the small forward position, where he can be more effective.

The Warriors get Crawford, who will take over as starting point guard, meaning that Stephen Jackson will no longer be the one handling the ball. This helps the Warriors in the short term because unlike Jackson, Crawford can take care of the ball, he's only averaging 2.4 turnovers per game compared to Jackson's 3.8 turnovers per game.

What is most exciting about Crawford this year is his three-point field goal percentage.

He's shooting 45.5 percent from behind the arc, so it gives the Warriors an option from the perimeter in Crawford, and the Warriors could definitely benefit with another solid three-point shooter.

There are two things that make this trade a solid one for the Warriors.

The first is that when Monta Ellis comes back from injury, he's not going to have to play the point guard position, (which is definitely good news for him.) Second, Jamal Crawford can opt out at the end of the year.

I don't believe Crawford will be a Warrior for long. The notion that he would be staying and Monta Ellis is out the door is absolutely ridiculous.