Crawford finally rewarded
Why is it that Joe Crawford had to go all the way across country to finally get his NBA shot this season?
After maintaining a scoring average above 20 points per game all season in the D-League, Crawford is expected to be rewarded by being signed for the remainder of the season by the New York Knicks. The Lakers’ second-round pick in last year’s NBA draft had been playing at a high level all season long with the Lakers’ D-League affiliate Los Angeles D-Fenders. He scored a D-League high 41 points in a game earlier this season.
But even when guard Jordan Farmar was sidelined with a knee injury, the Lakers did not deem it beneficial to sign Crawford. The move would have been seamless, since the D-Fenders practice at the Lakers’ El Segundo practice site. Crawford knows the Lakers’ system, having gone through training camp with the team and the exhibition season. Crawford was the second-to-the-last cut in training camp, with the decision to waive him coming down to a choice between Crawford and the Lakers’ 2007 second-round pick Sun Yue.
Ironically, Sun ended up being assigned twice by the Lakers to the D-Fenders and started five games alongside Crawford. Despite being waived last fall, Crawford remained in favor. The Lakers’ coaching staff thinks highly of him because of his excellent work ethic and great attitude. Recently, when I asked Lakers assistant general manager Ronnie Lester about Crawford, Lester assured me that he believed that Crawford is a NBA-caliber player and hinted strongly that even this late in the season, it was not too late for a NBA team to pick Crawford up. If that indeed is he case, it would be a testimony to Crawford’s hard work, perseverence and patience.
http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2009/03/27/crawford-finally-rewarded/14067/
with all the Farmar trashing going on around here did we missed an opportunity here?
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