Jamal Crawford will approach this free agency period having learned from previous mistakes. Only a year ago, the three-time Sixth Man of the Year chose to sign a two-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, while teams like the New Orleans Pelicans and the Golden State Warriors courted his services.

The gamble resulted on his third-worst scoring season (10.5 points per game) while logging only 20.7 minutes per outing under Tom Thibodeau's system, which was once again a starter-heavy rotation.

“My No. 1 priority is fit,” Crawford told Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic in a phone conversation. “I think that’s very, very important. I’ve seen so many different situations in the NBA and fit is so important.”

Crawford earned two of his three Sixth Man of the Year awards during his five-year stint with the L.A. Clippers, able to play extended minutes and make his mark, providing his signature scoring punch off the bench.

While his stint in Minnesota is a short one, the journeyman won't look at this part of his career as one he regrets.

“The way I look at everything is my career is a book and this was the chapter of the book,” Crawford said. “I have no regrets about it. I’m glad I was able to experience what I was able to experience. Now it’s time to move forward.”

Crawford was a major reason the Timberwolves managed to stay afloat, even when missing Jimmy Butler with a meniscus injury, but Thibodeau eventually went back to his starters upon his return and put Crawford back in the cellar once his starting lineup was back together.

“For me, it’s just fit. I don’t think anything’s wrong (in Minnesota),” Crawford said when asked what prompted him to opt out. “There’s nothing wrong that’s not wrong anywhere else. It’s the NBA. Everybody’s not going to get along every second. That’s not realistic.

“It’s a good foundation, a good springboard, there are some really good players, a couple of All-Star players. You’ve got a good coach. I think Mr. T is a great owner, he’s a great communicator. From there, you’ve got something good going.”

The 38-year-old appears to have plenty left in the tank and could provide a team with some offensive spark if he indeeds finds the right fit for these last few years of his NBA career.