Guard Jamal Crawford is interested in playing for the Cavaliers if his contract is bought out by the Atlanta Hawks and has reached out to Cavs star LeBron James, Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon reported.
Crawford, 37, was part of a three-team sign-and-trade involving the Los Angeles Clippers, Hawks and Denver Nuggets that sent Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari to the Clippers on Thursday.
In a story posted on the Hawks' website, a statement by general manager Travis Schlenk mentioned the 2018 first-round pick the Hawks received along with center Diamond Stone, but said nothing about Crawford, likely indicating Crawford is not in their plans.
A winner of the NBA's Sixth Man Award a record three times, Crawford has two years remaining on his contract. The guaranteed portion is $14.2 million for next season and $3 million more in 2018, according to spotrac.com.
With Crawford primarily being paid by the Hawks, the Cavs could offer Crawford all or part of a mid-level exception worth $5.2 million or sign him to a league-minimum contract of $2.33 million.
The eighth overall pick of the Cavs in 2000 who was traded to the Chicago Bulls on draft night, Crawford has averaged in double figures in each of the past 15 seasons. In 2016-17 he played in 82 games for the Clippers and scored 12.3 points per game and shot 41 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range.
According to Marc J. Spears of ESPN's The Undefeated, the Cavs, Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards will have interest in Crawford when the buyout is finalized.
