NBA Trade Rumors: 5 deals Knicks need to make

Jamal Crawford

Jamal Crawford isn’t going to save the future of the Knicks — that’s a job for Porzingod. However, while his efficiency is an obvious problem (38.4 field goal percentage, 31.3 three-point percentage) his ability to create instant offense off the bench could help the team if they control his minutes well.

Yes, his shot selection isn’t always wise as he can take too many long, contested jumpers. But when his shots start falling, there are few players more entertaining to watch cross-up their opponents or bury high-arching threes. He’s still averaging 17.3 points per 36 minutes, and while he’s far from perfect due to his poor defense, he can still help the Knicks who only rank 13th in bench points per game.

Aiding the Knicks in potentially landing Crawford is that his role with the Clippers just isn’t the same anymore. They added so many new pieces to their bench this offseason, and players such as Wesley Johnson, Pablo Prigioni, Cole Aldrich and Paul Pierce are starting to contribute.

Crawford doesn’t need to come in and force up shots to create 17 or 18 points a night for them now, and this only makes it easier for teams to go after him.

Now that Lance Stephenson and Josh Smith have essentially been removed from Doc Rivers’ rotation, they’re most likely at the top of the list when it comes to who he wants to trade. Crawford can’t always appear in trade rumors for no reason, though, and the Clippers could benefit from a point guard who can run an offense better than Austin Rivers or another conventional big man.

Doc won’t led one of his favorite plays go easily, and due to Crawford’s inefficiencies and lack of defense, the Knicks should prioritize the previous three guards discussed here if they want to trade. If they just want to pick up offense without sacrificing too much in return, though, Crawford is a notable target.

Next: Targeting a star