Jamal Crawford is the subject of recent trade rumors once again as the Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly making a few "exploratory calls" to examine all the possibilities of fixing their current ragtag roster.
Fansided noted that "the actual act of exploratory calls is meaningless in a sense. Every front office likely delves in such, calling and answer calls. The latter, more meaningful - if the front office, aka Doc Rivers, is unsatisfied, as he should be, the Clippers have to make a move."
Before the Clips pulled off its latest three-game winning streak, they were 7-8 in the stacked Western Conference and out of the playoffs if the postseason started at that moment.
For a team supposedly built to contend for this year's championship, having a below .500 record 15 games into the season can somewhat be alarming and team officials are painfully aware that they have to make a move in midseason to correct whatever it is that they have to correct.
Of all the trade assets the Clips have this season, Crawford remains to be the team's best trade bait, according to Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.
Aside from being available to be traded right now, Favale said that Crawford is still performing at his usual level despite his age and is "an especially attractive piece for teams in need of short-term offensive production on the cheap".
Lance Stephenson is playing bad enough to not generate any interest while Josh Smith's salary is too small for L.A. to get any "substantive return". Paul Pierce is not going anywhere as he is Rivers' hidden ace to be used only in April.
Which leaves Crawford as the best choice for a trade.
If the Clippers really want to turn things around this season, then it has to materialize soon as the only other option is to split the Big Three of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan, which is probably not going to happen.