Jamal Crawford Tweets That He Wishes He Were A Free Agent

The 2015 Free Agency period has been a Blizzard-of-Bucks so far, with stars, superstars, mid-level players and everyone in between cashing in on the highly-anticipated salary cap spike coming over the next two years once the money from the NBA’s new television contracts starts rolling in.

It’s an ideal time to be a free agent, but not everyone has been so fortunate. Players still under contract have been reduced to spectators as the giant summer-long cash-grab rages on. One such player is two-time Sixth Man of the Year winner Jamal Crawford, who has a year left on his contract with the Clippers worth about $5.6 million.

Crawford, who is actively engaged with his followers on social media, was asked recently about his somewhat uncertain future with the franchise (more on that later).

Given the league’s current economic climate (however speculative), who wouldn’t want to be a free agent right now? That’s doesn’t necessarily mean Crawford is looking for an exit strategy. Had he been a free agent, he could have easily re-upped with Los Angeles on a more lucrative long-term deal. That is, of course, assuming that the feeling is mutual. Buried within that tweet was a subtle allusion to a certain rumor that has been floating around in recent weeks.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Clippers have been toying with the possibility of trading Crawford to the Cavs for Brendan Haywood’s non-guaranteed contract.

Cleveland, of course, has been trying desperately to get someone (anyone) to bite on Haywood’s deal, which is worth about $10.5 million for next season and would clear a nice little chunk of cap space for any potential takers who would be willing to take it on and then presumably waive him.

It’s an idea that makes sense for all parties involved, for a bevy of reasons. For instance, the Clippers’ acquisitions of Lance Stephenson and Paul Pierce this offseason might make Crawford seem expendable in their eyes, although playing Stephenson alongside Crawford in the second unit would add a nice defensive balance to their offense.

And if the Cavs’ prolonged negotiations with J.R. Smith are any indication, they likely see Crawford as a more consistent and reliable upgrade over their current – and oftentimes erratic – shooting guard who withered in the Finals last month. All of these possible scenarios are just another reason why Crawford would understandably prefer to be a free agent. As it stands, he has little-to-no control over his destiny.

(via Marc Stein)