Current L.A. Clippers guard Jamal Crawford is involved in talks to be dealt to the Atlanta Hawks. In a three-team sign-and-trade deal that is fully expected to go down in the coming days, forward Paul Millsap will head to the Denver Nuggets, Crawford will go to the Hawks, and forward Danilo Gallinari will head to Los Angeles. However, with the Hawks being in a rebuilding phase, it's suspected that Crawford will not stay in Atlanta for long.

While Atlanta and Crawford have some mutual interest, per David Aldridge, his contract could be bought out as the Hawks may not want his $28 million over two years on their books. There are many teams interested in signing the veteran if he gets bought out, with the Warriors, Spurs and Knicks being the first ones in line. Another team that could be a sleeper favorite to add the veteran is in the city he currently lives in.

The Los Angeles Lakers are the likely favorites to sign Crawford. Apparently, Crawford is very interested in playing with guard Lonzo Ball and the Lakers are interested in Crawford mentoring Ball, according to Mark Spears of The Undefeated. Crawford would likely start at shooting guard for Lakers and work as a mentor and shot maker for the assist-creating Ball.

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 signed a three-year, $42 million deal with Clippers in the summer of 2016. In the upcoming season, he is owed $14.2 million, and in the last season, only $3 million is fully guaranteed, while $11.5 million will have to be decided upon until 21st June of 2018.