The Cleveland Cavaliers are heavily favored to sign veteran sixth man Jamal Crawford after he secured a buyout from the Atlanta Hawks. Crawford became a free agent after the Hawks bought out the $28.75 million remaining on his contract. According to reports, the Hawks still owe Crawford at least $17.2 million.
Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com said the Cavs can sign Crawford to their mid-level exception worth $5.2 million. The Cavs are avoiding giving Crawford a higher deal as they want to add to their already huge excess to the salary cap. A source said Crawford met recently with LeBron James, fueling reports that he may join the three-time Eastern Conference champions in the coming season.
The Los Angeles Clippers recently initiated a three-team trade with the Hawks and the Denver Nuggets. From the trade, the Clippers acquired Danilo Gallinari while Crawford and Diamond Stone went to the Hawks. The Nuggets, for their part, got a 2019 second-round pick from the trade. However, if the Cavs sign Crawford, their plan of bringing Cedi Osman to the NBA from Turkey will be temporarily shelved. The Cavs are looking to use their exception to sign Osman, whom they drafted in 2015.
Crawford to give Cavs firepower off the bench
In his 16-year career, Crawford has won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award three times, during the 2015-16 season and 2013-14 with the Clippers and in the 2009-10 season with the Hawks.
Two seasons ago, Crawford set the record as the oldest player to win the Sixth Man Award at age 36 after he submitted 14.2 points and 2.3 assists in 26.9 minutes in 79 appearances.
If he signs with Cleveland, Crawford will return to the team that drafted him 8th overall in the 2000 Draft. However, he did not play a game with the Cavaliers as he was traded to the Chicago Bulls where he played four seasons before moving to the New York Knicks.
Crawford played for New York from 2004 to 2009, one year with the Golden State Warriors, two years with the Hawks and one year with the Portland Trail Blazers before joining the Clippers. In 1,182 games, he averaged 15.3 points and 2.3 rebounds.
Cavs sign Jeff Green to 1-year contract
Vardon also reported that the Cavaliers agreed to a one-year, $2.3 million deal with free agent forward Jeff Green, who averaged 9.2 points and 3.1 rebounds for the Orlando Magic last season.
In his career, Green averaged 13.5 points and 4.7 rebounds during his stints with the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and the Magic. Green was the Cavaliers' third free-agent signing behind Kyle Korver and Jose Calderon. Korver agreed to a three-year, $22 million deal while Calderon signed a one-year contract worth $2.3 million.
