If the Boston Celtics are left with an open roster spot in lieu of Jabari Bird's domestic violence case, there is a chance that 18-year veteran Jamal Crawford could join the team, according to a report from Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
Weiss sat down with Adam Kaufman of WBZ New Radio on Monday for a wide-ranging interview. Near the end of their discussion, Weiss noted that there is indeed mutual interest between Crawford and the Celtics.
KAUFMAN: The big rumor is Jamal Crawford. He's a guy that's out there. He's a good shooter and a guy that can be a microwave off the bench. Just speaking hypothetically here — Bird is gone and there is an open spot — do you think the Celtics would go there or keep that spot open and wait for the buyout market?
WEISS: I think they need the depth. Filling that spot is really important. There is mutual interest between the Celtics and Crawford; that I do know. The Celtics didn't make an offer to him. He's been kind of waiting for the right situation to materialize. That's why he's holding out until training camp. He wants to be in a position to win a championship, and so he wants to sign on with one of these title-contending teams. I don't know if he's willing to wait all the way until the buyout market season opens, but maybe he'll latch on with a team, and there are plenty of teams that would be happy to have him. I think Crawford wants to be on a title-winner because he knows his career is pretty close to the end, and the Celtics are always looking for more 3-point shooting.
Crawford, now 38 years of age, could certainly help the Celtics spread the floor. The former No. 8 overall pick made 80 appearances with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2017-18 regular season, racking up averages of 10.3 points on 41.5 percent shooting from the field (33.1 percent from beyond the arc), 2.3 assists, and 1.2 rebounds in 20.7 minutes per outing.
Though rumors of Crawford potentially joining the Celtics are spreading fast, Keith Smith of RealGM is hearing the opposite:
Not anything I have heard from either side. Boston doesn't have a roster spot on the offseason 20 or the regular season 15 at the moment. https://t.co/Op7lvBXaD5
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) September 17, 2018
There is an obvious waiver looming out there for the Celtics. But Crawford would come without a defined role on a very full roster at the guard spot. Not sure that is what he's looking for at this point in his career. My guess he wants to go somewhere that he can play. https://t.co/YuOIdo7ppd
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) September 17, 2018
Nothing is imminent at the moment, but keep an eye on Crawford's situation.
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