Jamal Crawford (Photo : Getty Images Sport)
Even as the season opens, speculation continues for players 'stuck' on teams that no longer need their services.
Jamal Crawford is still a very skilled shot-creator and a definite spark of the bench which most teams would covet. However, his current team, the LA Clippers, may not be one of them.
Most of the trade rumors on Jamal Crawford were from the point of view of the teams that supposedly want him (Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks)but a Crawford trade would only happen if the Clippers find it beneficial.
A trade proposal from Today's Fastbreak has the Clippers trading J-Crossover for "off the ball" shooters. The basis is that the Clippers' acquisitions this offseason, specifically Paul Pierce and Lance Stephenson, are ball-heavy players who create their own shot.
Thus, the proposal has Jamal Crawford to the Denver Nuggets for Randy Foye and Nick Johnson.
"If Stephenson is going to be your primary ball-handler off the bench, it's best to surround him with players who don't need the ball to be effective, and that pretty much requires them to be able to shoot. Randy Foye can shoot."
Foye's main function is to spread the floor with his shooting and that entails receiving kick-out passes from the facilitator (in the Nuggets'case, Ty Lawson). TF showed stats that in the past three years, "over 83 percent of Foye's threes, and roughly 64 percent of his overall shots were assisted on."
For Crawford's part, TF also had some possible options. He could stay on the team for the rebuild and lead the bench mob, or agree to a buyout later in the season to join a contender, most of which want Jamal but are not capable of fitting him in the salary cap.
