Unless Oklahoma City is able to move Stevens Adams, Andre Roberson and Dennis Schroder, who are all rumored to have been made available, there are only two ways the Thunder can acquire free agents once things kick off on Sunday night: using their $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception or signing players at the veteran minimum.
Just before free agency gets started, Thunder Wire is examining candidates Oklahoma City could acquire in free agency via the two options currently at the team’s disposal:
Jamal Crawford
First off, Crawford is up there in age. He’s been in the league since 2000-01 and turns 40 in March. He’s been on a steady decline since 2014-15 in terms of points per game, though he’s maintained his field goal percentage by and large (40.5 percent since 2014-15). He’s just taking fewer shots. Which may have to do with him playing fewer minutes. None of which is necessarily a major issue for the Thunder
Crawford isn’t going to be the Sixth Man of the Year Award candidate like he once was, but that’s also why the Thunder should be able to get him on a veteran’s minimum, like the Phoenix Suns did last year.
In terms of long-range shooting, Crawford’s percentage in 2018-19 (33.2) would have been seventh-best on the team. However, as recently as 2016-17 he shot 36 percent from deep, something only three accomplished for Oklahoma City last season.
The 19-year veteran also respects Thunder star Paul George’s game more than most, so he may have an easier time than others developing chemistry in Oklahoma City.
Again, Crawford isn’t what he used to be. He’s not going to average 17 to 20 points a night like he once did. But based on the players likely to sign for the veteran’s minimum, and given the Thunder’s current cap situation, Crawford could be one of the better options as he hunts for the first ring of his career.
