The Phoenix Suns have agreed with veteran guard and shimmy-shaker Jamal Crawford to a 1-year deal, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Winner of the Sixth Man Award three times, Crawford is the first move by the team’s front office since the firing of General Manager Ryan McDonough earlier this month. He’ll play his 19th season for $2.4 million — a steal for the Suns.
While the move doesn’t exactly address the team’s current point guard stopgap, it does add another veteran voice and a pure scoring option that can pair up with Devin Booker in the backcourt. Crawford has averaged 15.0 points, 3.4 assists and 1.7 3-pointers made per game in his career. He’ll help to solidify Phoenix’s growing three-point threat with sharpshooters Booker, Ryan Anderson, Trevor Ariza and Troy Daniels. Rookie big man Deandre Ayton will have no shortage of double-team bail-out options now.
Crawford has always been a highlight reel, juking and pirouetting with the ball around the back, through the legs and to the hoop. The “ankle breaker”, they call him, leaving his defenders with their legs wrapped in a bow. His age has proven meaningless throughout the years. Last year he appeared in 80 games, averaging 10.3 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Phoenix Suns will be Crawford’s eighth team, and he will likely suit up for their home opener Wednesday night against the Dallas Mavericks.
