Jamal Crawford says it’s been tough playing the waiting game – NBA Update
Atlanta Hawks star Jamal Crawford has admitted that he’s finding the NBA lockout very tough and it is so because of a variety of reasons.
No NBA player wants the lockout to continue as they would like to be out on the court playing for their respective teams, but the labour dispute has been especially hard for Crawford due to another reason.
The player’s contract with the Hawks is up this summer, but because of the NBA lockout he cannot figure out what his next move is going to be. The lockout which began on July 1st after the expiry of the Collective Bargaining
Agreement means that NBA team owners, officials, executives and coaches are barred from talking to players.
Therefore, Crawford cannot negotiate with other teams at the moment, nor can he sign an extension with the Hawks. He is stuck in the proverbial no man’s land, and the guard doesn’t like it.
“It’s tough, honestly,” Crawford told Hoops World in a phone interview. “You hope and wish for the best, but then you have to deal with the reality of the situation. Right now, with the process we’re in, it’s been tough playing
the waiting game, but I don’t have much of a choice.”
Once the lockout is over, Crawford plans to consider his options. The guard has been a solid contributor wherever he has played for the last many years, and the previous season was no different. He helped Atlanta into the playoffs
and was key as the team beat Orlando Magic in the first round.
He is likely to have a number of options once free agency begins as many franchises in the NBA would love to have someone with his pedigree on their books. Although never a true franchise player, Crawford has always been a valuable
asset that has many admirers.
However he has a number of priorities in mind that would have to be addressed before he decides to join a new team. Among them would be his role, the team’s ambitions and the salary package available to him, especially in light
of a new CBA that is bound to be more restrictive.
“I think I’m looking for a little bit of everything,” Crawford said. “I want to have the chance to play a significant role. I want to see where the team is going in the future. I’m not asking for the world, but I want to be fairly
compensated as well.”
Hawks fans and management alike would be hoping they can lure the star back into the fold at Atlanta, where Jamal is a prominent feature of the team. In fact, Crawford has by and large been the second best player on the team after
shooting guard Joe Johnson.
Jamal Crawford says it’s been tough playing the waiting game – NBA Update
Atlanta Hawks star Jamal Crawford has admitted that he’s finding the NBA lockout very tough and it is so because of a variety of reasons.
No NBA player wants the lockout to continue as they would like to be out on the court playing for their respective teams, but the labour dispute has been especially hard for Crawford due to another reason.
The player’s contract with the Hawks is up this summer, but because of the NBA lockout he cannot figure out what his next move is going to be. The lockout which began on July 1st after the expiry
of the Collective Bargaining Agreement means that NBA team owners, officials, executives and coaches are barred from talking to players.
Therefore, Crawford cannot negotiate with other teams at the moment, nor can he sign an extension with the Hawks. He is stuck in the proverbial no man’s land, and the guard doesn’t like it.
“It’s tough, honestly,” Crawford told Hoops World in a phone interview. “You hope and wish for the best, but then you have to deal with the reality of the situation. Right now, with the process we’re in, it’s
been tough playing the waiting game, but I don’t have much of a choice.”
Once the lockout is over, Crawford plans to consider his options. The guard has been a solid contributor wherever he has played for the last many years, and the previous season was no different. He helped Atlanta
into the playoffs and was key as the team beat Orlando Magic in the first round.
He is likely to have a number of options once free agency begins as many franchises in the NBA would love to have someone with his pedigree on their books. Although never a true franchise player, Crawford has
always been a valuable asset that has many admirers.
However he has a number of priorities in mind that would have to be addressed before he decides to join a new team. Among them would be his role, the team’s ambitions and the salary package available to him,
especially in light of a new CBA that is bound to be more restrictive.
“I think I’m looking for a little bit of everything,” Crawford said. “I want to have the chance to play a significant role. I want to see where the team is going in the future. I’m not asking for the world,
but I want to be fairly compensated as well.”
Hawks fans and management alike would be hoping they can lure the star back into the fold at Atlanta, where Jamal is a prominent feature of the team. In fact, Crawford has by and large been the second best
player on the team after shooting guard Joe Johnson.
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