With George Hill agreeing to a contract with the Sacramento Kings, the Los Angeles Lakers still have yet to make any moves during NBA free agency so far. There are still some serious possibilities floating around with the latest being Jamal Crawford.
Crawford is expected to be moved to the Atlanta Hawks in a potential three-way trade that will send Paul Millsap to the Nuggets and Danilo Gallinari to the Clippers. If that happens, the Hawks are likely to buy out Crawford’s contract which is worth over $14 million this year.
It was previously reported that the Lakers would be interested in Crawford should he be bought out and according to Marc J. Spears of ESPN, joining the Lakers is Crawford’s preference as well:
Veteran guard Jamal Crawford’s preference would be to join rookie Lonzo Ball in the backcourt with the Lakers if he can get bought out of his contract, a source told The Undefeated. With his family based in Los Angeles and a solid relationship already in place with Ball, the current Los Angeles Clippers guard would like to sign as a free agent with the Lakers if he were bought out of his contract by the Atlanta Hawks after an expected multi-team trade that is expected to send Danilo Gallinari to the Clippers. The Lakers have strong interest in signing Crawford as well, a source said, and have the money to offer a respectable contract. Crawford could possibly start at shooting guard for the Lakers and be a big help as a mentor and shot maker for the assist creating Ball.
Crawford would definitely provide the Lakers with another shot-maker as he hit 36 percent from three-point range last season and is known as someone who can get hot as quickly as anyone in the league. The Lakers have a hole at shooting guard, and Crawford could fill in.
There would undoubtedly be some defensive concerns with a Ball-Crawford backcourt, but if nothing else Crawford could assume his normal role as a sixth man if the Lakers preferred to start someone else next to Ball.
