JC Admits His Uncertain Future Has Affected His Play

[HMFFL]

Should Smoove really keep shooting jumpers?

Atlanta guard Jamal Crawford loves being in the South and wants to stay here. The problem, though, is his game lately has been going south.

Crawford, the reigning Sixth Man Award winner, has averaged just 10.0 points on 36.4 percent shooting the past five games to see his seasonal numbers drop to 13.3 and 41.0. That's well under last season's 18.0 scoring average on 44.9-percent marksmanship.

Crawford, making $10.08 million in the final year of his contract, knows one reason why he's been slumping. He wants to sign a contract extension, and that's weighing too heavily on his mind.

"I'm overthinking,'' Crawford said in an interview with FanHouse before Monday's home game against Boston. "I think with everything going on, I'm just thinking too much and not just playing basketball. ... I'd be lying if I said it hasn't crossed my mind, you know, the future. ... Everything's been a little bit of a distraction.''

[ATL DirtyBird]

Last years numbers were to crazy for him to do again. Im not gonna attribute his sudden suckiness to this contract dispute though.

[evildallas]

I was talking with another season ticket holder after the game tonight and we agreed that the contract situation seems to really have affected Jamal Crawford. What Jamal needs to understand is that he wasn't getting an extension from any NBA team. It doesn't mean he's not wanted, but just the reality of business considering the CBA negotiations and his age. He has to put it aside or he will cost himself millions on the next deal if his game falls off this year.

[dms269]

I've had enough of Jamal's "me first" attitude. "I want a trade because they won't extend me". "I suck now because they won't extend me". It's basically Josh Childress v. 2. Just man up, realize that if you play your best now you will be rewarded.

[general]

I see jamals view,Hawks give a guy who last year avg just a couple points more then him $124mill? And Now act like they dont want to give Crawford a extension? Jason terry,Ginobli,Ben Gordon all 6th man get offerd a contract and for the hawks not to even acknowledge that I see crawfords point.without Crawford in the game its not as exciting it's the same ol hawks from 3-4 years ago. I wouldnt worry if i was crawford tho if it's Not ATL This summer theresome teams that need a 50 pt scorer. And this larry drew offense is designed for our big man thats why joe and jamal have only been scoring 10-14pts each a game.Coach better change things up fast

[general]

I do think woody used jamal and Joe the right way besides joe forcing afew shots alot..Drew needs to allow Jamal to Take over games sometimes since his ability is good at doin that and weve seen that last year from him.Cause right now hes just standing around touching the ball every 4 possessions...when he's not watching Josh smith shoot 3's or jason collins shoot. Bottom line is Gotta get your best offensive guys touches.Joe and Jamal This is a Guards league now days... were not gonna win with Josh shooting like a SG...

[sutrick]

Everyone needs to remember that Jamal never had to be responsible before as his teams were lousy. Last year was great for Jamal as he went to the playoffs and played better and more in control than ever. But, Jamal's whole life , except last year, was as an exciting, inconsistent, but what does it really matter player. I think currently he is just making excuses for his poor play. He will never again approach even an $7-8 million salary but he won't see that until it actually doesn't happen for him.

JC needs to start focusing on playing well again and cut the whining.

[general]

Hahahahah a guy like marvin won't reach another 7-8mill salary!!! C'mon guy u sound crazy 6th man of the year and crawford a 1yr older then joe johnson guy who can score 20+ppg on a decent unselfish team and talent he has will see $9mill salary at the least a year! rudy gay just signed for 80mill and crawford usually scoredscores what rudy does OFF The bench

[D21]

Hahahahah a guy like marvin won't reach another 7-8mill salary!!! C'mon guy u sound crazy 6th man of the year and crawford a 1yr older then joe johnson guy who can score 20+ppg on a decent unselfish team and talent he has will see $9mill salary at the least a year! rudy gay just signed for 80mill and crawford usually scoredscores what rudy does OFF The bench

Except that Joe's contract is a big error, and that Gay's contract is also an error.
Crawford can ask for what he wants, I doubt owners are stupid enough to make twice the same mistakes in few months.
If Crawford wants to be serious, he has to ask comparing to Josh and Al production and contract, with the fact that is older, and lower production and defense.
Then, we don't win more games in playoffs than with Murray, so even if he had 6th man award (thanks to Woody for giving him lots, lots of shots), he has more to thank ATL than ATL has to thank him.

Don't talk about extension, earn it (and even with that, without any trade, ATL don't have money to give for next season).

[general]

Crawford was the Big bright spot last year!I'm tired of people bringing flip murray Up he is just like a Jordan crawford gets u buckets sometimes! If flip is so comparable to crawford why hasent he ever won 6th man or have a career avg of over 15ppg! Where is he even playing now days? So u guys can stop the comparison! And al is a undersized Center who in my opinion is worth 9-10mill a year and as long as josh smith is playing in his Hometown we will go no where because as a good high jumping athlete he is! His IQ foolish plays will keep his style of play exactly where it is! And if the hawks are overpaying all these guys well then guess what u gotta over pay the 6th man

[sutrick]

Crawford was the Big bright spot last year!I'm tired of people bringing flip murray Up he is just like a Jordan crawford gets u buckets sometimes! If flip is so comparable to crawford why hasent he ever won 6th man or have a career avg of over 15ppg! Where is he even playing now days? So u guys can stop the comparison! And al is a undersized Center who in my opinion is worth 9-10mill a year and as long as josh smith is playing in his Hometown we will go no where because as a good high jumping athlete he is! His IQ foolish plays will keep his style of play exactly where it is! And if the hawks are overpaying all these guys well then guess what u gotta over pay the 6th man

Are you seriously saying that Jamal Crawford is going to get a contract paying $9 mill per year ???
Jamal was great for Atlanta last year. But his history casts great doubt on a repeat of last years production. He plays no defense. Look at his FG% during his career. last year was an all time high. Do you really think someone at his age coming off a big contract should be whining and using that as an excuse for poor play. Is that what you want on your team? No other team will come close to $9 Mill per year. I think you get too excited by his one on one moves and sometimes great play. He has always, until last year, had people believing he had more potential than he was showing. Last year he reached his potential but it could very well be a "fluke rule" year.

[D21]

General, I don't compare the current Murray with Crawford, but when they played.
If Woody had played Bibby less like last season when Murray was here, and gave him the ball like Crawford got last season, he would have easily got 15ppg.
And he had good impact when on the floor, Crawford did not better on this point. We were not often loosing points when Murray was on the floor, not something we can say about Crawford this season.

I clearly don't care about this 6th man award, because it's so biased by the fact that Crawford got the second offensive option here.
If he would have been starting instead of Bibby, like some were asking, what would have he got ? Nothing.

Just thanks Woody for keeping him on 6th man spot, and give him that freedom in the offense.
For me, it's a meaningless award that just allow him to use Ginobili as example of player who got extension, but if Ginobili got that, it's not for having previously winning 6th man award before, it's because he's a winner and don't cry in this situation.

I was really surprise by his last year interview when after the trade, and thought he was an smart guy, but what he has done this season both on the floor and with media is just too much for me.

Maybe I am starting to get extreme POV, but looking at the impact, the results and the team, what do we got except more exciting plays ? I still want to wait and see what happen this year, but no way I will agree on overpaying Crawford, even if we had room under the Tax next season, because paying 9M this guy is overpaying.

You can say that Horford or Smith are overpaid, but at this point, ATL is winning when they are on the floor, not on the bench, the opposition of Crawford.

[general]

Pointless to argue with you about crawford! He's the best offensive player on the team period! Let crawford shoot 24 times a game like joe and watch him lead the league in scoren! He scores almost as much as joe with just half the shots joe takes! So save it! And if crawford doesn't get 9mill salary he still will have made more then u period so he's not worried about you just like joe dissed his fans and we reward him $124mill! Rather have got melo for $100mill and still had money left! Anybody who shoots as much as joe better avg 25 or there's a problem

[D21]

Pointless to argue with you about crawford! He's the best offensive player on the team period! Let crawford shoot 24 times a game like joe and watch him lead the league in scoren! He scores almost as much as joe with just half the shots joe takes! So save it! And if crawford doesn't get 9mill salary he still will have made more then u period so he's not worried about you just like joe dissed his fans and we reward him $124mill! Rather have got melo for $100mill and still had money left! Anybody who shoots as much as joe better avg 25 or there's a problem

I'm sorry but don't you think it's more pointless to argue with someone who is talking with "one player POV", while we should talk with a "team POV". You are talking from a Crawford agent POV, while if you really support your team, you have to talk from a GM POV.
What do you want to see :
- Crawford leading the league in ppg
or
- ATL winning

I know that if we let him take 25 shots a game, he can lead the league ... and ?
You will be happy to see Crawford at 30ppg with ATL winning one game every three games ?

Contracts have to show what the players bring to the team first, and not what he brings for himself.
Crawford, except some winning shot last year, was not helping the team winning in general. This year, we are losing points on the opponent when he's on the floor.
And this is the same thing for Joe last year, we were better with Al and Smith than him, so he doesn't deserve being paid twice their salaries.

"Individual stats only" won't help to build a team and give right contract, it's even the worst thing of every financial discussion in collective sports.

I understand it should be hard to see Joe getting this contract and not get an extension, but the first part is just out of reality, why the second should also be ?
Asking something based on an error is just stupid, it's not because some players got bad contract that every players has to ask for a bad contract. They can ask, but they won't get it.

Joe's contract is a big error, why do you want another one.


Finishing on the pointless part, the "And if crawford doesn't get 9mill salary he still will have made more then u period so he's not worried about you" is just a fantastic argument that brings nothing to the problem.
First, you don't know if he's making more than me, then I am not on the floor making $M and making fans (at least a part of) asking themselves why this guy with this salary doesn't make the team winning when he's on the floor (and not does he score or not when on the floor).


Last point, you don't want me to compare what Crawford bring to what Murray brought, but you can do it between Joe and Crawford.
Murray was playing 24min/game with one shot every 2.5min for 12pts.
Crawford was playing last season 30min/game with a shot every 2min for 18pts
With the same playing time, he would have made 15pts, and more if you let him shot every 2min instead of 2.5min.
Even if we said he would have been less efficient, and only got 15ppg playing 30min and a shot every 2min, what is better for the team ?
- 18ppg in 30min for $10M
- 15ppg in 30min for $2M and the rest of the money in other part (and I don't talk about Joe's pocket)
If you add the fact that the team was generally better than opponent when Murray was on the floor, which is not the case with Crawford, I think I can have doubt on the fact that Crawford deserve 9M or not.

It's not because we are not agreeing on all that I would say it's pointless to argue with you, but just be sure we are talking from the same POV, with a goal of a better team, and not getting better contracts for the players as main goal.