Another Hawks dilemma: Pay Jamal Crawford or dump him?
Here we see Jamal Crawford in a moment of exultation. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
An unsatisfying offseason has the potential to turn unsavory. In the same summer the Hawks made Joe Johnson the priciest free-agent signing and Larry Drew the cheapest head-coaching hire, they must now deal with Jamal Crawford. This isn’t what any doctor — from Dr. J to Dr. Jack Ramsey — would have ordered.
According to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, Crawford and his agent are expected to meet with general manager Rick Sund this week. Crawford is thought to want one of two things: To sign a contract extension before the new season commences or to be traded forthwith. Given that his was the happiest Hawks story of a season that ended unhappily, Crawford must be taken seriously. Given that these are the Hawks, who are so cheap they haven’t yet fleshed out their roster, he shouldn’t hold his breath.
Yes, cheap. Even after sinking $120 million into Joe Johnson, the Hawks keep giving us reason to doubt their long-avowed Commitment To Excellence. They could have hired an established NBA head coach to replace Mike Woodson and wound up promoting Drew, who’d been Woodson’s assistant all along. They could have spent significant money to find another big man, and instead they’ve attempted to make do with Josh Powell and another episode of the Jason Collins Saga. (For late tuners-in, Collins was on the Hawks’ roster all last season, though not so you noticed.)
It’s unclear what Crawford really thinks is apt to happen if he does deliver a pay-me-more-or-trade-me-now demand. Because the Hawks aren’t apt to pay anyone more. Public statements notwithstanding, the Atlanta Spirit seems uninterested in paying one in-the-red cent of luxury tax. Beyond that, there’s a more pressing matter: What to do with Al Horford, who means even more to this franchise?
Horford can become a restricted free agent at season’s end. The Hawks would prefer he not test the market because they know full well he’d be coveted from sea to shining sea. If any Hawk is apt to receive a contract extension before Halloween, it’s Horfy. There’s almost no chance two Hawks will be offered preseason extensions at this late date.
So, if Sund doesn’t hand Crawford a new contract, what does the GM do? Trade him? Even though any attempt to shed a disgruntled player creates a buyer’s market? Even though the Hawks would be pressed to get anything comparable to Crawford in return? Even though the strength of this team headed into 2010-11 figured to be its continuity?
Loading ...On the other hand … do you want a disgruntled player in a locker room not overrun with vocal leaders? (Horford is the Hawk most apt to speak, and if he chooses not to accept an extension he’ll be facing contractual issues of his own.) The issue of Johnson’s impending free agency became a major story last season, and Crawford is 10 times more talkative than J.J.
Yes, the Hawks did draft a shooting guard in Jordan Crawford, but 26 players were taken ahead of him and there’s no assurance he’s not the 21st Century Roy Marble. This rookie cannot be seen as rotation-ready, meaning the Hawks can’t just trade one J. Crawford and hand his workload — the NBA’s sixth man of the year averaged 31 minutes a night — to another J. Crawford.
There was a time when the Hawks seemed a rousing success story: A team of young guys growing up together and learning to win. What we’re seeing is that NBA success carries a higher and higher price. A franchise cannot hold its core together for years on end without paying dearly, and paying dearly essentially means overpaying. The Hawks overpaid Johnson because they had no real alternative: To lose him would have meant losing much of the credibility they’ve spent the past decade trying to re-establish.
The price for credibility, alas, was flexibility. The Hawks have almost none. To give Jamal Crawford what he wants would be throwing more big money at a shooting guard already past 30 in the same offseason that has seen them lavish a six-year contract on a 29-year-old who plays the same position. To trade Crawford would be to weaken the team he helped lift from 47 victories to 53. There might be a happy ending to this latest Hawks tempest, but I’ll be darned if I see it.
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172 comments Add your comment
JustAThought
August 31st, 2010
1:06 pm
MB…..just cause the hawks can match any offer to Horford don’t mean he won’t leave. Again I ask…..why oh why would any of you stay in this mess called the ASG.
JustAThought
August 31st, 2010
1:08 pm
Hey Murph……..I got a news flash for you……….the hawks are the worst team in the league!
Sleepy
August 31st, 2010
2:45 pm
As usual Northcyde trying to manipulate the facts .
Jamal started slow which is to be expected considering it was his first playoffs but against Orlando regardless or Northcyde trying to quote fg% as some type of indicator of how a player was actually playing Jamal played much better than JJ to try and use fg% to say they played anywhere near the same is basically a lie .
In game one in Orlando everyone came out flat
In game 2 In Orlando were came out slow again and Orlando had the early lead and we came back behind the effort of Al and Jamal . We started slow in the 3rd and jamal came in and went on a run again keeping us in the game and where was JJ? Thats when he really started to disappear
In game 3 coming back home jamal was 6-13 for 22 points while JJ was 3-15 this is when the home fans vs JJ crap started
In game 4 we started slow and we all sat here posting about how jamal was out there driving to the getting to the line and showing heart but where JJ . Jamal had basically singlehandedly cut a big magic lead to single digits after a ton of foul shots even getting fouled on a three .
So its amazing that Northcyde is now suddenly saying technically jamal only had open good game . The same BS Northcyde was pushing all year long .
Does this means Jamal should be paid ? heck no but there is no reason to start lying and making up stuff about the guy .
He was the 6th man of the year and in his first playoffs he gave us 5 games of 20 pts of more out of 1 games played . So hes not the problem the real problem is our starting lineup has ran its course and we are stuck.
We are even now to the point where we are a midlevel playoff team hoping that late first rd picks can save us and become immediate contributors when that is what teams usually vying for the title and so this franchise is just one ball of confusion now .jamal is just a small piece of it .
The one thing I just read is that Sund asked jamal to give us his player option last year to before they would agree to the trade and if thats true then jamal has every right to expect that we wanted him to be a Hawk longterm and I have a feeling that if this is true then the contract or trade demand (if true) would stem from that .
Dukester
August 31st, 2010
3:50 pm
@Roy Rogers Sekou didnt do his research first off Denver has about 3 PF now and if they added Josh they would have 30 million at that position Kenyon Martin 16 mil Josh getting 11 mill himself. Although Josh is better than Marvin!! Marvin could slide into that SF spot being a cheap young talent with a decent contract. Crawford would sweeten the deal because he is the best 6th man and he has a expiring contract. Or it would give the more flexibility to put him at SG and still compete next year. I would think they would want a first round pick also. Horford can continue to play center and hopefully we would find a real center to come in off the bench. Josh could back up Carmelo when he goes out.
PG Bibby/Teague
SG JJ/JC2
SF Carmelo/J smoove
PF J Smoove/Horford
C Horford/Backup center
Lets go hawks
Save on Soul Swingman Jerseys and More as the Clock Winds Down to Tip-Off | jwslbs.com
August 31st, 2010
7:01 pm
[...] Or maybe you’re enjoying following all of the trade speculation more, whether it’s Jamal Crawford, Rudy Fernandez or Carmelo Anthony. Either way, the NBA Season Tip-off isn’t far [...]
rusty
August 31st, 2010
10:41 pm
who the hell listens to northcydes crap. jj lover,woodson lover,teague hater, jc jater
Reggie
September 1st, 2010
2:17 am
OK BEFORE ANOTHER IDIOT SAYS TRADE MARVIN AND BIBBY AND ANYONE ELSE FOR CARMELO…ASK YOURSELF ONE QUESTION….IF WE HAD MELO WOULD YOU TRADE HIM THOSE GUYS? OK THEN….WHY IN THE H*LL WOULD DENVER TRADE A TOP 10 PLAYER FOR GUYS WHO ARENT EVEN TOP 5 ON THERE OWN TEAM!!!! STOP SAYING THAT GARBAGE CAUSE ITS WILL NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS HAPPEN!!!!! thank you
Dukester
September 1st, 2010
10:57 am
@Reggie I agree with the Bibby and Marvin that would be stupid. But Denver(reports say) has asked for 3 things for any trade for Carmelo. 1. That is young talented potential players (Marvin) I disagree that he has potential but in the world of the NBA I think the perceive him as a player like that. 2. Expiring contracts(Crawford) 6th man of the year. 3 draft picks Our 1st round pick for next year or whatever they negotiate. I mean should Hawks fans not feel like we have a shot at landing this guy when we have all of the material needed to land Carmelo. We are not a rebuilding team, We have the big city lights Carmelo is looking for. I mean do you think Orlando will trade Dwight Howard for him no. O ok so Miami will trade lebron for him. There would be no reason it defeats the purpose. It is very hard to get players like that so why should we stand by and watch.
BK
September 1st, 2010
11:58 am
This is juicy… AI to ATL as a solution to Crawford…
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/447466-allen-iverson-could-replace-jamal-crawford-in-atlanta
BK
September 1st, 2010
11:59 am
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/447466-allen-iverson-could-replace-jamal-crawford-in-atlanta
bjrufino
September 1st, 2010
12:34 pm
Guys, fellow hawks fans please don’t think that resigning of crawford is such a big mess. We need to support that idea because it is the a good way in keeping our core, and we need to give jamal an extension because if we don’t it will be an another rebuilding process next season or two. So come on guys please support.
Joe
September 1st, 2010
1:12 pm
Trade Crawford for either a pick or cap relief. Sign Atlanta resident Allen Iverson to take his 30 minutes off the bench.
Iverson’s been working out pretty hard all summer in ATL and he’s now saying he’s fine with being a bench player. Might as well sign him for the minimum (non guaranteed).
nate double dd
September 3rd, 2010
2:27 pm
i say pay sign crawford to an extension. Work a 3 team deal with Hornets and Nuggets. Hawks get Chris Paul and NeNe..Nuggets get David West, Bibby and first round Hawks. And Hornets get Marvin Williams and Carmelo..Im just sayin.. WOW. hawks starting 5
5.Nene
4.Horford
3.J. Smith
2.Joe Johnson
1.Chris Paul,,,,plus crawford as 6th man…..or somehow throw him into the mix too
nate double dd
September 3rd, 2010
2:35 pm
Enter your comments here
Atlanta Hawks: Which ____ford Will Get an Extension? – Bleacher Report « My NBA Video
September 3rd, 2010
6:30 pm
[...] with Al HorfordYahoo! Sports (blog)To Extend or Not To Extend – Jamal CrawfordHoopsWorldAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -ProBasketballTalk (blog) -Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)all 56 news [...]
eastlakeTB
September 3rd, 2010
8:58 pm
King Teezo, i feel you on the Al situation. Al & Josh are the heart & soul of our team. If we lose 1 of them, ’smh’, i dont even want 2 think about it .
lgwest
September 6th, 2010
11:03 pm
Go Braves! Take the Falcons with you.
Remember those words? No one is saying that now. Leave our other Birds alone, they will be OK.
Until the NBA stop chosing who win or lose, its good to have some sense of false hope! But I’m tired of being told I love LA Boston, or New York. We are paying fans too.
tlj
September 12th, 2010
11:55 am
I can see trading jamal if it helps the team, otherwise keep him. He is under contract for one more year and does not have bargaining power. If he chooses to be a locker room curse bench him and play the other crawford. Any disruptive action by him will only hurt his free agent contract for next year.
jason
September 12th, 2010
6:45 pm
this is my trade. trade jamal to portland for rudy fernandez and future 1st rounder
MitchC
September 15th, 2010
12:21 am
Mark, what you didnt specifically state, unless I missed it, is your opinion of what you think the Hawks should do.
Based on the info you gave us: It seems the Hawks have one of two alternatives. Either hold Crawford to his contract, and let him go at season’s end, or trade him before the season. If they dont have money to keep both Crawford, and Horford, or it doesnt make sense, because of the position, then the choice is clear. Keep the one they most need, and trade the one who is less important.
As you probably heard, the preseason predictions call for this team to take a step back, considering the championship roster in Miami, and Orlando still being formidable. The Hawks will probably finish no higher than third in the SE division, and will have a hard time approaching the 53 wins they had this past year.
B'Red
September 16th, 2010
1:51 pm
JJ is just not worth the money they are paying him.
Big L
September 20th, 2010
2:37 pm
The Hawks should have let Joe Johnson walked in the off-season. How can you pay a guy $120M that doesn’t show up in any games in the playoffs. And Jamal Crawford who is your 6th man off the bench leading the team in scoring. JJ has no heart and Jamal does. I would rather have the ball in Jamal’s heads in the clutch. When is the last time you seen Joe Johnson dunk? He is too soft, doesn’t show any emotions etc. The other mistakes they made was offering Marvin and Bibby a contract extension. The front office just don’t get it. They will make the 2nd round again and get blown out.