On Monday, Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers had an amusing reaction to the news that 18-year veteran Jamal Crawford agreed to sign with the Phoenix Suns, After having coached Crawford from the 2013-14 to the 2016-17 season, Rivers says Crawford “will be able to shoot it [in Phoenix],” alluding to the Suns' need for talented scorers and Crawford's affinity for putting the ball in the basket.
The 38-year-old shooting guard is the only player in NBA history to win the Sixth Man of the Year award and is the NBA's all-time leader in four-point plays (47) as well.
#Clippers Doc Rivers jokes on @JCrossover joining #Suns – "He'll be able to shoot it there."
Then adds – "He loves basketball and he has a great basketball IQ, so you'd think he should be in the league, for sure."
Full quote: pic.twitter.com/9RvHQC2xDX
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 15, 2018
A fun-loving guy who is often described as one the game's true hoopers, Rivers offered praise worthy of the Seattle-native saying, “He loves basketball and he has a great basketball IQ, so you'd think he should be in the league for sure.”
Crawford has been linked to a couple of teams over the offseason, with the most notable being the Boston Celtics. It was even reported that prior to Crawford agreeing to sign with the Suns, he was mulling an opportunity with the San Antonio Spurs.
Jamal Crawford was also considering the San Antonio Spurs before signing with the Suns, per source.
— tim cato (@tim_cato) October 15, 2018
That decision would seem to point to Crawford's preference to be on the court playing consistently rather than chasing a championship ring, although the San Antonio Spurs aren't considered the championship-contenders they were in the past.
Crawford's a leader in both the locker room and the community and his presence will be healthy for an organization trying to establish both a culture and continuity. Further, Crawford's veteran guidance and vast basketball knowledge will be intrinsically valuable for the Phoenix Suns' young trio of Devin Booker, Josh Jackson and DeAndre Ayton.
A triumvirate that could become one of the best in the NBA, across all experience levels, they already veteran leaders like Jared Dudley and Tyson Chandler in the locker room. However, having a player with Crawford's skill — even at an advanced age — provides the young Suns a player who can teach them how to do things on the court that Dudley and Chandler aren't able to do.
Crawford is a shifty ball-handler and though he's a relatively inefficient scorer, he has quite a few scoring tricks. He figures to be the backup shooting guard behind Booker next season, which doesn't help their perimeter defense but does provide the Suns a player with depth that can put pressure on the defense and play beside Booker in the backcourt.
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