NBA Rumors: Jamal Crawford prefers to play for the Lakers

Jamal Crawford has made it know his preference is to stay in Los Angeles and play for the Lakers.

The NBA free agency rumor mill has been teeming with activity in recent days, and a number of outlets had Jamal Crawford as a favorite to land in Golden State. Not so fast! ESPN’s Marc Spears has just reported that Jamal’s preference is to put on the Los Angeles Lakers purple and gold.

If everything works in Jamal’s favor, the Clippers will waive Crawford and give him the ability to sign with the Lakers to team up with soon-to-be-rookie Lonzo Ball. This move makes total sense for the Lakers, receiving a highly productive player that can mentor many of their younger stars. The value can’t be overstated, as we all know how easy it can be for young talent to get caught up in Hollywood’s bright lights.

I would have thought returning to the Golden State Warriors would have been Crawford’s preference, but their ability to offer a lucrative contract is very limited. The Warriors max offer would be $5.2 million, while the Lakers may have up to $17.2 million in room.

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While I’m sure the lure of a competing for a championship in Golden State is strong, that’s a huge disparity in money. For a 37-year-old that probably only has a few years left in the tank, I can’t blame him for wanting to cash in to the best of his ability. On paper it may look like an easy choice now, but we’ll see if Jamal begins to show some frustration later in the season when the Lakers are experiencing growing pains.