Jamal Crawford's one-year stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves could be described as miserable. Crawford was unable to see the court as much as he would have liked under coach Tom Thibodeau, a known starter loyalist who plays his stars to the grind.
The three-time Sixth Man of the Year award winner had the New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors and Timberwolves as suitors last summer, and ultimately opted for the latter, resulting in a mere 20.7 minutes of action per game despite making 80 appearances last season at the age of 38.
“It just wasn’t a happy environment,” Crawford told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. “I thought I would be playing more before I signed. It ended up being the second fewest minutes I’ve ever played. Just wasn’t a fit or went like I was under the impression it would.”
The shooting guard quickly opted out of the last year of his contract, knowing this wasn't the right fit for him — a decision which now has kept him waiting all summer long for the right offer to come along.
Teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and even the Warriors have reportedly expressed interest in Crawford once again, but the veteran one-on-one marvel is still waiting for that ideal fit.
“It’s different, but it’s not the worst thing, to be honest,” said Crawford. “This is the first time where my family are not separate from the standpoint of not living together in the same city. I had to get the kids to school and continue with our [family] business that we have to take care of.
“For me, it’s not the worst thing in the world because I’m spending time with them. I’m just staying ready and being patient.”
Crawford recently said he won't “sign a deal just to sign a deal,” but rather evaluate his options, confident he'll end up on an NBA roster sooner or later.