Jordan Crawford

And-Ones: BIG3, Canada, Hezonja, Coaches

Ty Lawson, Corey Brewer, Jordan Crawford, Jonathon Simmons, Norris Cole, Festus Ezeli, and Jordan Hill are among the many former NBA players whose names are in the BIG3 draft pool for the 2022 season, per the league’s official website.

The BIG3 will hold its draft on Wednesday evening in Los Angeles as it gears up for the coming season. As we previously relayed, the first games of 2022 are scheduled for June 18 and this will be the first year in which the BIG3 holds an All-Star Game.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

And-Ones: Holman, Crawford, Messina, Terry, Tanking Standouts

Free agents Aric Holman and Jordan Crawford have signed in Puerto Rico with Gigantes de Carolina, the club announced on social media (Facebook links). The duo joins a team that already features former NBA players Tremont Waters and Thomas Robinson.

Holman, a 6’9″ big man, played 38 games with the Spurs’ G League affiliate this season. He averaged 11.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game, shooting 38% from the floor. He also signed a 10-day contract with the Heat back in December.

Crawford, a 6’5″ guard, has played 281 NBA games with five teams. He spent time with the Nets’ G League affiliate this season, averaging 14.4 points on 37% shooting from the floor. He was also the No. 27 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Ettore Messina has agreed to a two-year contract extension with Olimpia Milano in Italy, according to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport (hat tip Sportando). Messina, the head coach of Milano, spent five years coaching under Gregg Popovich with the Spurs from 2014-19. He was named the EuroLeague Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2008.
  • Free agent big man Emanuel Terry has agreed to a deal in France with Orleans Loiret Basket, the team announced on social media (Twitter link). Terry spent this season in the G League with Sacramento’s affiliate, averaging 13.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
  • John Hollinger of The Athletic examines some of the players from the NBA’s “tanking” teams who have looked good down the stretch, including Wizards big man Kristaps Porzingis, Rockets guard Jalen Green and Knicks forward Obi Toppin.

And-Ones: Brantley, Crawford, Ware, Labissiere

Free agent forward Jarrell Brantley has been acquired by the Greensboro Swarm, G League affiliate of the Hornets, Hoops Rumors has learned. Brantley recently left Russian club UNICS Kazan following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

As Ian Begley of SNY.tv notes (via Twitter), Brantley was sued by UNICS Kazan for $250K after leaving. He received a letter of clearance after a maximum six-day window, allowing him to sign in the G League. The state of the lawsuit is unclear, Begley adds.

Brantley played 37 games with the Jazz between 2019-21. The 25-year-old was drafted No. 50 overall in 2019 after spending four seasons at the College of Charleston.

There’s more around the basketball world tonight:

  • The Long Island Nets have re-acquired guard Jordan Crawford from the G League’s available player pool, the team announced in a press release. Crawford, who will replace Tyrone Wallace while Wallace plays for the Pelicans on 10-day deal, holds 281 games of NBA experience with five teams.
  • Free agent guard Casper Ware has signed with CSKA Moscow, the team announced (Twitter link). Ware played nine games with the Sixers during the 2013/14 campaign.
  • Former NBA big man Skal Labissiere has signed in Puerto Rico with Cangrejeros de Santurce, as relayed by Sportando. The 6’10” Kentucky product was drafted No. 28 overall in 2016. He last played in the NBA during the 2019/20 campaign, appearing in 33 games with Portland.

Nets Notes: Aldridge, Harden, Durant, Harris, Crawford

The Nets are awaiting the results of an MRI on LaMarcus Aldridge‘s left ankle, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Aldridge sprained the ankle during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss at Golden State. He left the arena in a walking boot and had the MRI in Arizona. Aldridge is averaging 13.4 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 22.9 MPG.

We have more news on the Nets:

  • James Harden is questionable to play against Phoenix on Tuesday due to a strained right hand, ESPN’s Nick Friedell writes. Harden, who was able to practice Monday, was a late scratch on Saturday after waking up with discomfort in the hand and had an MRI in San Francisco.
  • There’s still no timetable for the returns of Kevin Durant or Joe Harris, Friedell tweets. Durant (knee) hasn’t played since January 15 while Harris (ankle) has been sidelined since November 14.
  • Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, has requested waivers on Jordan Crawford, Marc Spears of The Undefeated tweets. His contract only ran through January. It’s possible he could return to the Long Island club but he could also be claimed by another G League team or even go overseas. Crawford hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2017/18 season.

Jordan Crawford Signs G League Contract

Former NBA guard Jordan Crawford has signed a G League contract in advance of the NBAGL’s regular season, agent Darrell Comer tells our JD Shaw (Twitter link).

The 27th overall pick in the 2010 draft, Crawford appeared in 281 total regular season games between 2010-18 for the Hawks, Wizards, Celtics, Warriors, and Pelicans. He averaged 12.2 PPG, 3.1 APG, and 2.5 RPG on .411/.317/.826 shooting in 24.4 minutes per contest.

Since last appearing in the NBA in 2018, Crawford has played for a handful of international teams, spending time in Israel, China, Germany, Russia, and Turkey. He’s now seeking an NBA comeback.

The G League season is scheduled to get underway next Wednesday, January 5.

COVID-19 Notes: Trade Market, G League, Postponements

NBA teams have been so busy dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks and scrambling to find available replacement players that the trade talks which typically occur at this time of year have been put on the back burner, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Given how many teams are shorthanded, it has also been hard to get a clear sense of whether certain clubs will end up as buyers or sellers, a high-ranking Western Conference executive told Fischer.

“There have been so many injuries, so many players in health and safety protocols, and there are so many teams that are holding out hope they can make a run to that next goal, whether it be making the play-in, making the playoffs, or competing for a championship,” the executive said. “I don’t expect there to be any trade action anytime soon.”

Here are a few more COVID-related notes:

  • Within his look at the recent impact of the health and safety protocols, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report notes that the exodus of G League talent to the NBA has opened the door for more former NBA players to sign NBAGL contracts in the hopes of getting back into the league. Thon Maker, Marcus Thornton, and Jordan Crawford are among the players who have recently been offered G League deals, says Fischer.
  • Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) offers some additional details on why the Raptors‘ Wednesday game and the Nets‘ Thursday contest were postponed. As Grange explains, while the minimum number of players required for a team to play a game is eight, the NBA’s new rules say that at least five of those players must be from the club’s initial 17-man roster. It sounds as if Toronto and Brooklyn both may have dipped below five available players, not counting hardship signees.
  • Vaccinated players signed via hardship exceptions can play for their new teams immediately after testing negative for COVID-19, but must continue to return negative tests during each of their first five days with the club in order to enter facilities and remain active, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks (Twitter links).

International Notes: Dekker, Kokoskov, Crawford, P. Jones

Panathinaikos is targeting former NBA forward Sam Dekker for next season, according to Stavros Barbarousis of Eurohoops. The Greek club is under new management and is considering Dekker as a possible replacement for Deshaun Thomas.

Dekker, 26, played for Lokomotiv Kuban this year, averaging 13.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in the EuroCup and 11.4 PPG and 4.9 RPG in the VTB League. It was the first season outside the NBA for the former first-round pick after spending time with the Rockets, Clippers, Cavaliers and Wizards.

There’s more international news to pass along:

  • Kings assistant Igor Kokoskov was introduced today as the new head coach of Fenerbahce in the EuroLeague, according to EuroHoops. He reportedly received a three-year deal to take over the Turkish team. “I feel obligated to the Fenerbahce fans and the people who brought me here to give them the best of my abilities, experience and knowledge to help this club keep being successful as it is,” he said. “Fenerbahce fans love their basketball team, so we will give our best to keep them happy by winning lots of basketball games and trophies.” Kokoskov, who spent a season as head coach of the Suns, also coaches the Serbian National Team.
  • Jordan Crawford has signed a one-year deal with Lokomotiv Kuban, Barbarousis writes in a separate story. Crawford, 31, played for five teams in eight NBA seasons before moving overseas early last year. He played in Israel and China before spending part of this season with Brose Bamberg in Germany.
  • Former NBA first-round pick Perry Jones III will continue his career with Bursaspor in Turkey, tweets Nicola Lupo of Sportando. The 28-year-old spent three seasons with the Thunder.

International Notes: Lin, Germany, Turkey, Powell

Jeremy Lin posted a message to fans on Instagram as he returned to China for the resumption of the CBA season, relays Dario Skerletic of Sportando. Overseas players have come back to the nation and are undergoing a two-week quarantine before play resumes in the Chinese Basketball Association.

“Safely landed back in Beijing to finish out the CBA season,” Lin wrote. “Excited to hoop again, but leaving the bay worried and with a heavy heart for the sick, the jobless and all those fighting fear, anxiety and stress over the unknown future. Shoutout to our medical staff in the 50 states for working tirelessly and everyone keep doing your part in slowing the virus!

“It’s been an awesome 2 months camped out in the gym…basketball has never been more meaningful. The world needs basketball now more than ever. I still remember when I went through my toughest moments and worst injuries, you guys were there for me. I hope to return the favor. As all you beloved fans told me the day after my knee injury, keep fighting bc we’re #NeverDone.”

There’s more international news this morning:

  • Brose Bamberg in Germany is the latest team to permit its American players to return home, according to Nicola Lupo of Sportando. Former NBA guard Jordan Crawford is the most recognizable name on the roster.
  • All players from the Fenerbahce team in Turkey, along with coaches and staff members, have been tested for the coronavirus and a team manager in under observation in the hospital, writes Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando. The roster includes former NBA players James Nunnally, Nando De Colo, Derrick Williams, Malcolm Thomas, Jan Vesely, Luigi Datome and Joffrey Lauvergne.
  • New Iona coach Rick Pitino, who had been coaching Panathinaikos in Greece since 2018 before recently leaving the team, tells Lupo that Seton Hall’s Myles Powell could have a bright future in the EuroLeague. He compares Powell to former Suns and Pelicans guard Mike James, who has become a star in Europe. “Myles Powell reminds me of Mike a little bit,” Pitino said. “Do I think he’ll be in the NBA? I think he’ll try out with a team, but I think he’ll be a terrific player over in Europe and make a lot of money and be very successful. Could he play in the NBA? I’m sure he could, but I don’t think he’s somebody you’re gonna say he’s definitely gonna make it, but he’s a very talented young man and I think he’ll get a good shot at the NBA.”

International Notes: Randle, Olympics, Broekhoff, Yabusele, More

The coronavirus outbreak continues to have an impact on the international basketball world, with ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reporting that guard Chasson Randle is among the players affected by the Chinese Basketball Association’s hiatus.

Agent Darrell Comer tells Givony that Randle has twice tried to sign a 10-day contract with an NBA team since returning stateside last month. However, his club in Tianjian blocked him from receiving FIBA clearance in both cases, despite there being no official word yet on if or when the CBA will resume play this season.

“His payments are currently behind with no date provided of when he will receive salary owed,” Comer said of Randle. “He has been offered opportunities to sign 10-day contracts with NBA teams, but Tianjin has denied his FIBA clearance despite the fact that the 10-day contracts will expire before all rumored dates if the China season will resume.

“Chasson is not only being prevented from making income, but also from furthering his career as a NBA player. We are speaking to bring awareness to this unfair issue for Chasson, but also for the other talented players who are back from China and may experience similar issues soon.”

The coronavirus epidemic could also be bad news for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound told Stephen Wade of The Associated Press that the IOC will likely have to make a decision by May on this summer’s games. Pound still anticipates the Olympics will move forward as planned, but if the IOC determines that the risk related to coronavirus is too high, “you’re probably looking at a cancellation” rather than a postponement, he said.

Here are more basketball-related notes from around the world:

  • After being waived two weeks ago by Dallas, sharpshooter Ryan Broekhoff is drawing interest from EuroLeague team CSKA Moscow, a source tells Sportando. Before joining the Mavericks in 2018, Broekhoff spent several seasons with EuroCup club Lokomotiv Kuban in Russia.
  • Former Celtics first-rounder Guerschon Yabusele has returned to his home country of France, signing a new deal with ASVEL Villeurbanne, according to the team (hat tip to Sportando). It’s a rest-of-season contract for Yabusele, who played in 74 games for Boston between 2017-19.
  • Veteran guard Jordan Crawford, who has appeared in 281 NBA games, appears likely to join Brose Bamberg for the rest of the season, according to Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando. Crawford worked out for the German club earlier this month.
  • Italy’s Pallacanestro Cantu has announced the signing of former NBA swingman Rodney Purvis (hat tip to Sportando). Purvis, 26, appeared in 16 games for Orlando during the 2017/18 season.

And-Ones: Doncic, Crawford, Cook, Edwards

Luka Doncic, who played in both the Rising Stars and All-Star games this weekend, has another non-Mavericks event circled on his calendar for later this year. Asked about his potential participation for Slovenia in this June’s Olympics qualifying tournament, Doncic responded, “I’m gonna play for sure” (Twitter link via Donatas Urbonas).

The Mavericks star didn’t get the chance to suit up for his home country during the 2019 FIBA World Cup, since Slovenia wasn’t able to qualify for the event. This June’s tournament will represent the last chance the squad has to earn a spot in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Doncic and the Slovenians won’t have it easy — they’ll have to beat Lithuania and Poland, among others, in that qualifying tournament to secure one of four Olympic berths up for grabs this summer.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Former NBA guard Jordan Crawford is working out for German team Brose Bamberg, according to Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando. If the audition – which will take place within the next 10 days – goes well, Crawford will sign a rest-of-season deal with the German club, Borghesan adds.
  • In a conversation with Ian Begley of SNY.tv, veteran NBA agent Todd Ramasar provided an interesting, behind-the-scenes look at his typical approach to the NBA trade deadline.
  • The Canton Charge and Oklahoma City Blue completed a trade sending Tyler Cook to the Thunder‘s G League affiliate and Vince Edwards to Cleveland’s NBAGL team (Twitter link). Both players have some NBA experience, with Cook having spent time with the Cavaliers this season on a two-way deal, a standard contract, and a pair of 10-day pacts.
  • ESPN’s Jonathan Givony examines a few of the notable prospects who took part in the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp during All-Star weekend in Chicago.