AP With its core getting up there in years (save Rajon Rondo), the Boston Celtics need to add some more scoring firepower. You could see it in the playoffs against Philly (and through the regular season).
Jamal Crawford is walking, talking firepower. Or at least he was a couple years ago. The former Sixth Man of the Year has a history of just coming in and lighting it up.
Which is why the Celtics are interested in him and have reached out to Portland talking about a draft-day trade, reports Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. But the Celtics are not alone.
The Portland Trail Blazers are fielding trade offers for guard Jamal Crawford and the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Boston Celtics are among the teams actively pursuing the scoring specialist intensely, a league source tells CSNNW.com.
Other teams who have shown diminutive interest are the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns according to a person familiar with the situation.
Boston has picks 21 and 22, which might appeal to Portland (which already has No. 6 and No. 11 in this draft).
There is a good chance Crawford is traded on draft night. Crawford is in the middle of a two-year contract but with an opt-out after this season that has to be used by Friday. He can be traded on draft night and then either opt-in with his new team or, more likely, opt-out of his deal and re-sign with his new team using Bird rights.
If he’s not traded draft night he will opt out and become a free agent.
Crawford can score, but the past couple years he’s taken a step back to average. Last season in Portland he averaged 14 points a game and shot just 38.4 percent (and 30 percent from three). His PER has been right around the league average of 15 the past two years, well off the 18.4 of his Sixth Man of the Year season in Atlanta. He will turn 32 next season.
Which is to say, how much Crawford thinks he is worth and teams might pay are different things. But smart teams have this discussion with Crawford’s agent (through back channels if need be) before making a trade.
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Roy Hibbert believes Shane Battier’s knee to his groin in Game 1 was intentional
May 23, 2013, 7:01 PM EDT
Late in the first quarter of the Heat’s overtime Game 1 win over the Pacers, Shane Battier drove into the lane and challenged Roy Hibbert on a layup attempt. Battier’s form was more than a little unorthodox as he went up for the shot, leading with his right knee that caught Hibbert squarely below the…
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PBT Extra: Talking Heat/Pacers, and why Indy might be optimistic
May 23, 2013, 6:51 PM EDT
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Today Kay Adams and I are talking what everyone else is — Heat vs. Pacers. I feel bad for Paul George because the Pacers wouldn’t have been in the game at the end if not for him, but that’s not what anyone will remember. And of course, we talk sitting Roy Hibbert a little —…
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Mike Krzyzewski must replace Nate McMillan as Team USA assistant
May 23, 2013, 6:11 PM EDT
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Mike Krzyzewski will return as Team USA’s head basketball coach, but he must replace both his NBA assistants. Not only is Mike D’Antoni moving on, so will Nate McMillan, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. McMillian, via Spears: “It was a great experience with Coach K,” McMillan said. “Jerry Colangelo did a great…
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If Phil Jackson could have any player to start a team it would be… Bill Russell
May 23, 2013, 5:16 PM EDT
AP
It’s all about the rings. For Phil Jackson — out promoting his book “Eleven Rings” — it’s always been about the hardware. It’s about building a real team around the stars he was given, about managing the egos, about having a team that didn’t seem fazed by the biggest stages. So when Time Magazine asked…
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Sixers GM Hinkie missed draft lottery… maybe to talk to Brian Shaw?
May 23, 2013, 4:10 PM EDT
AP
If the Philadelphia 76ers had beaten the odds and won the NBA Draft Lottery Tuesday it would have made new GM Sam Hinkie’s life a little easier. But he would have heard about it on the phone, he wasn’t in New York. And he wasn’t at home in front of his television with a beer,…
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The network suits at TNT have to be happy they have the rights to the Eastern Conference finals — they got the Heat and LeBron James to showcase. Indiana may be a small market to go against them (you know the network was pulling for the Knicks last round) but at least they have crossover…
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Dwight Howard reportedly adds Hawks and Warriors to his free agent list
May 23, 2013, 2:47 PM EDT
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As the Dwight Howard free agency news cycle rolls on, the latest report has him expanding the list of teams he’ll consider signing with this summer. It’s been previously reported that Howard is most intrigued by the Houston Rockets, thanks in no small part to a young star already in place there in the form…
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Pablo Prigioni reportedly was considering returning to Spain in part because his wife wanted to go back, but the Knicks guard is making intentions clear now. Marc Berman of the New York Post: “If I can choose, I prefer to play in the United States and stay in the NBA,’’ Prigioni said on Argentine radio.…
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Even before the season tipped off you had a pretty good sense that LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul would be All-NBA First Team — they are dominant players at or entering their peak. But Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan continue to defy father time. The two veterans round out the All NBA Team…
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520px;”> Phil Jackson has been virtually everywhere the last couple weeks selling his new book “Eleven Rings” but one of my favorite interviews so far is the one from last night with John Stewart on The Daily Show. And not because as a Knicks fan Stewart wants to know about those two rings. It’s near…
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It’s official: Krzyzewski back to coach Team USA through Rio Olympics
May 23, 2013, 11:39 AM EDT
Reuters
We’ve all done this: After a really difficult project, no matter how rewarding it was, right afterward we say “no way, I’m never doing that again.” Then six months later we look back on it and think “you know, it wasn’t that bad” and talk ourselves into doing it again. That’s Mike Krzyzewski and coaching…
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John Calipari: Cavaliers’ GM scouted Kentucky more than any other GM
May 23, 2013, 11:22 AM EDT
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There’s a big risk that comes with draft Nerlens Noel. And not just his torn ACL. Noel played only 24 games last season, and although that’s more than twice as many as Kyrie Irving did his lone season at Duke, it’s still a pretty small sample. I think Noel proved enough to justify becoming the…
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The Wizards rightfully believe they would have made the playoffs if they remained healthy this season. Washington went 24-25 with John Wall – a better winning percentage than the eighth-seeded Bucks (38-44). And when Wall, Nene and Bradley Beal all played, the Wizards were 15-7. Washington should be excited to have a team on the…
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Hibbert said he will speak up in future, demand to be in game at end
May 23, 2013, 10:47 AM EDT
AP
Pacers coach Frank Vogel had his reasoning — the Heat with their small lineup had five guys who can shoot from the perimeter so he wanted to match that with a small lineup that could switch everything. Twice in the last 10.8 seconds he pulled the 7’2” rim-defending center and went small with Tyler Hansbrough…
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Reuters
It’s good to have the best player on the planet on your team. At the end of the day that was the reason the Miami Heat are up 1-0 — as great as Paul George was for Indiana, the Miami Heat have LeBron James. From the very start LeBron was knocking down jumpers from the…
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LeBron James’ detractors are still plentiful and are still vocal — just follow the conversation on twitter during any Heat game. People will tell you how much they loathe LeBron and everything he stands for. But they are buying his shoes. Forbes Magazine broke down the numbers on domestic signature shoe sales (from sportsonesource.com) and…
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For the 145th time since they joined forces in Miami, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh finished as the Heat’s top three scorers. For the first time in the 2013 calendar year, the fourth-leading scorer – Chris Andersen – scored more than 15 points. It’s been much less of a concern that many expected…
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Paul George introduces himself to much of America with breakout game… that got overshadowed
May 23, 2013, 2:08 AM EDT
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America, meet Paul George. He’s the Pacer that hit the insane, dramatic three pointer that sent Game 1 against the Heat into overtime. He’s the guy that drew the superstar call on Dwyane Wade, then with ice water in his veins hit three free throws to give Indiana the lead with 2.2 seconds left in…
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Pacers’ coach Vogel explains decision to bench Hibbert late, says ‘we’ll probably have him in next time’
May 23, 2013, 1:49 AM EDT
The Heat came away with the 103-102 overtime victory over the Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, thanks to a triple-double performance from LeBron James, which included hitting the game-winning layup as time expired. The words “game-winning layup” should never be a relevant phrase this deep into the postseason; teams normally defend…
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LeBron’s triple-double, game-winner in overtime lead Heat to Game 1 win over Pacers
May 23, 2013, 1:16 AM EDT
The Pacers gave the Heat all they wanted in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, but in the end, the game’s best player — along with some questionable coaching strategy down the stretch — was too much for Indiana to overcome. LeBron James finished with a triple-double line of 30 points, 10 rebounds, and…
