Should Clippers’ Jamal Crawford play for five more years?
By Tom West
Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford has said that he wants to play in the NBA for another five years, but is it possible for him to do so if he wants to be as effective as possible?
Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard Jamal Crawford doesn’t look like someone who just turned 36 years old. His youthful face, springy step and energy for the game certainly doesn’t represent someone who’s approaching 40, and that’s only reiterated once he takes to the court.
He executes artistic crossovers with as much ease and quickness as ever, often leaving players guessing where to go or sending them tumbling off-balance. It’s the element of Crawford’s game where he’s excelled, as he’s based his entire NBA career on his ability to create instant offense with deadly handles and a smooth jump shot.
It’s clear Crawford can still put up points in a hurry at times and his love for the game is by no means fading, so it makes sense that he isn’t revealing any notions that he may be thinking about retirement soon. In fact, he wants to play until he’s 40 (per Dan Woike of the Orange County Register):
"“How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were?” he asked. “Think about it. It’d be about how you feel.”And right now, Crawford feels great.For maybe the fifth consecutive year, Crawford says he’s good to play for five more years."
For Crawford, it’s clear that mind comes over matter. You’re as old as you feel, and should let that define your actions and stance on life rather than a number that should determine the end of your career more than your performance.
However, while it’s perfectly understandable for a player to want to continue their career as long as possible, especially for one that’s as healthy as Crawford thanks to good training, nutrition and play style, is it the best idea? If Crawford still wants to continue his career as an effective player who can be counted on for a significant role on a notable team, is five years simply too ambitious for him?
As he says himself, he’s certainly taken all the precautions to prolong his career. He doesn’t drink, he’s never tried smoking, he’s had a clean diet all his life, and he doesn’t maintain a physical play style. Even though he’s capable of driving to the basket, he doesn’t force his way through contact and instead uses his crossovers, floaters, and pull-up jumpers to score.
In terms of production, he’s still more than capable at 36, and could stay that way for a few more years. He’s averaging 18.4 points per 36 minutes right now, which is the eighth highest mark of his 16-year career.
Yes, it often comes in a turbulent manner, but Crawford can still create his own offense. Since the Clippers lost Blake Griffin with injury in December, Crawford has improved somewhat on a terrible start to the season. He’s averaged an impressive 15.2 points in 27.6 minutes per game on a less impressive 41.1 percent shooting (32 percent from three).
The problem is Crawford’s efficiency, which has always been the streaky driving force of the Clippers’ bench for the last four seasons now. He often takes tough, contested jumpers from just inside the arc, which can easily be detrimental to the team if he isn’t in heat-check mode. His 38.9 percent stroke from 16-24 feet this season and 31.8 percent three-point shot (despite improving since Griffin’s absence started) are both the third lowest marks of his career from those respective distances.
Crawford has never been a player who’s selective with his shots, waiting for clear gaps in a defense or wide open, catch-and-shoot threes to pull the trigger. With that in mind, his lacking efficiency doesn’t necessarily need to be attributed to his age. It’s Crawford’s ability to spark an offense off the bench that has him in the running for Sixth Man of the Year again this season, and will help him maintain value over the rest of his career.
As for Crawford’s defense, there’s no point going in-depth here about what he has to offer. Essentially, his defensive impact is going to be detrimental wherever he sees out his time in the NBA, either with the Clippers or on a team desperate for scoring.
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He may still have great quickness at 36, but he doesn’t play with the same intensity on defense, doesn’t have great awareness, can’t use physicality to slow down tougher guards, and isn’t always on-time with rotations. That’s why he has a 109 defensive rating this season and the Clippers allow 1.9 more points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor. Unfortunately, this isn’t something that can get better with age.
And this is what the future for Jamal Crawford comes down to. Can other teams overlook his obvious flaws like the Clippers, taking on his streaky offensive skill set that’s ageing fairly well after 15 years in the league? On the other hand, would they value a spot-up three-point shooter instead, looking for a typical 3-and-D player for the style of wing that dominates today’s NBA?
There’s no doubt Crawford has value for team’s who need offense and that element of his game may continue for every year he plays feeling like a 20-year-old. That could keep him a contract and if that’s what brings him happiness, why wouldn’t he continue?
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The fact of the matter, though, is that eventually his lack of efficiency and reliable defense could force him to walk away earlier than he’d like to, or reduce him to a role that isn’t best for him. If that’s the case, maybe a retirement just shy of 40 could be the better option to avoid playing beyond where his limitations should take him.
It all depends on what teams want most. In the meantime, Crawford is just going to keep doing what he does best for as long as he can. Fighting Father Time isn’t a battle he wants to lose.