Boston Celtics Free Agent Target: Jamal Crawford

Many Boston Celtics‘ fans are fawning over the idea of Kevin Durant in a Celtics uniform come next October. With a large amount of cap space, a brilliant head coach, and a bright future, Boston would seem like an enticing situation for any free agent, not just a marquee one. However, it’s time for Celtics fans to come back to earth. Signing Durant would require Boston to rewrite years of NBA free agency history.

Signing a free agent the caliber of Durant has not been the team’s M-O. The Celtics have built through the draft and via trades over the years. Boston is just not as attractive a destination as a Los Angeles, Miami, Houston, etc. Sure, when players actually come here they love it, but that’s half the battle. The team couldn’t even convince LaMarcus Aldridge to meet with them last year. There are more realistic targets who, may not be the transcendent type of player that Durant is, but will still make the Celtics a better team.

Jamal Crawford is one of those targets.

It’s no secret that shooting has, at times, been a major weakness for this Celtics team. It was a major issue last year as well. The team can go through scoring droughts at times, and really have limited options to turn to in order to snap those droughts. With a career point per game average of 15.5, Crawford would be a worthy addition.

Crawford would instantly make Boston’s bench unit better. One thing the Celtics bench currently lacks is a knock-down shooter. While the team is hopeful R.J. Hunter can one day turn into one, his development isn’t going to take place overnight. Marcus Smart impacts the game in just about every aspect but scoring. Kelly Olynyk is currently the best shooter off the bench, but in just his third season, he doesn’t have quite the same track record as Crawford.

Guys like Olynyk, Hunter, and Jonas Jerebko are spot up shooters, or work better coming off of screens. Evan Turner is currently the only Celtic reserve who can create offense for himself. Crawford is the kind of guy you could run some isolation for and let him go to work. Turner is also headed for free agency this year, and given his performance this season, he’s going to get some looks from other teams. If he doesn’t return to Boston, the Celtics are going to need somebody to fill that void.

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A two-time Sixth Man of the Year winner, Crawford may be on his way to winning it a third time this season. Sure, his per-game averages may be down from the previous season, but he’s still averaging almost 14 points per game off the bench, while averaging less than 27 minutes per game. To put that in perspective, this year there are currently three Celtics who average more points per game than Crawford, but all three average 30+ minutes per game.

One of the strengths of this Boston team is their chemistry. Crawford already has great relationships with Celtics guards Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley. Thomas and Crawford have a strong friendship that resembles one of a younger and older brother. Crawford virtually watched over Thomas while Thomas was playing at a prep school in Connecticut, and Crawford was a member of the New York Knicks. Crawford and Bradley also have a unique bond that formed out of a random act of kindness when Bradley was in high school.

Both Thomas and Bradley look up to Crawford, it’s hard to imagine adding him to the locker room would do anything but strengthen the chemistry.

Next: Schedule Gives Boston Control Down the Stretch

Crawford may be 36 years old, but he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Alone, he’s not the kind of player that makes Boston a title contender. However, with a couple of other moves, he would play a key part in helping them become one.

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