Don Nelson Tells Jamal Crawford to Get Lost
Even before Don Nelson‘s “experiment” he had been hinting to the media that Jamal Crawford should opt out of his deal at the end of the season and sign with another team.
Now he’s flat-out telling JC that there’s no room for him in the Bay. From the San Francisco Chronicle:
Nearly a week after his opt-out-or-else tete-a-tete with Jamal Crawford became public, Warriors coach Don Nelson finally came clean over the details of their conversation.
“I’ve always been very open and honest with my players and I did tell him he probably would either opt out or we would move him next year,” Nelson said Wednesday, two days after refusing to go into specifics.
“That’s a fact and I just don’t see that that’s going to work. I’m loaded in the backcourt. If I’m going to move (Stephen) Jackson into the backcourt now, I’m really overloaded. I think he’s too good a player to be a 10- or 15-minute player, as a backup player.”
The Warriors acquired Crawford for Al Harrington in November, intending to pair Crawford with Monta Ellis as their backcourt of the future. Nelson said in no uncertain terms Wednesday that there was no room for the 29-year-old, who has started every game he has played for Golden State.
“Wherever Jack plays, there’s not many minutes left. Wherever Monta plays when he’s healthy, there won’t be very many minutes left,” Nelson said. “Those positions should be backed up by somebody making less than 8 or 9 – or whatever his contract is – million dollars a year. So he makes too much money as a backup player.”
The article goes on to touch on the fact that if Jamal does opt out he’s going to face a brutal free agent market. His contract right is two years, $20 million. The article speculates that he would only be able to get a team’s mid-level exception, which will be about $5.5 million.
That’s a tough call – get paid but sit while he can still really play, or gamble and most likely take a huge pay cut to get run somewhere else. What should Jamal do?
Source: SFGate.com
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March 12th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
that dude says:
ill would just fire don nelson than waiving j-”can-a-ford”
March 12th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Chris Cason says:
Tough decision for JC. I wonder will Nelson be around next season really, but the way he is talking it sounds as if he has the support of Chris Mullin. JC should stick around and get his and hope to be moved. That’s too much money to be leaving on the table.
March 12th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
NTstateOFmind says:
i liked Don Nelson’s honestly, but with everything he’s done the past few years i think hes going senile
March 12th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
b-diddy says:
nelly is just being real. Actually helping jamal by letting him know his minutes will not be what they should be next year. all nba players are set for life (they won the lottery basically). True players want to play not just collect paychecks. That is why nelly said what he said. He is actually helping jamal if you look at it that way.
March 12th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
lifep says:
Jamal,if you’re reading this STAY!! Since your contract is guaranteed, you’re straight for the next two years. Our economy is a little crazy now, so stay with the sure thing. If D Niddy wants you gone, let them buy you out. You’re only 29 and probably got 6-7 more effective years in you ala Grant Hill. At 31 when your contract is up, (which will be Kobe’s age this year), you will be a formidable player that could still start or come off the bench. If the economy is better, you could still demands some team’s mid level exception!
By the way, I think Monta is outta here. They’re probably going to send him packing to host ESPN College Day beside Jay Williams.
Stay, you WILL play! Next year with an expiring contract, you will be a HOT Commodity! Everyone will want you cause you’re a quality player + you’re have an expiring contract that you can use for negotiations!
-lifep
March 12th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
hater says:
It’s a bluff.. Golden State needs JC to opt out because why pay that much money to lose? JC would be an idiot to do that though, given he’ll definitely make less as a FA. Nelson is trying to scare him into taking less money instead of riding the pine. Guaranteed he won’t opt out, and he’ll still be playing 30+ minutes for Golden State next year. Nice try Nelson, but unless JC’s agent is a moron, you’re stuck with him.
March 12th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
dmitry of jersey says:
that’s not even a question… dude is going to stay. NBA players rarely agree to take a 1MM pay cut, much less 5
March 12th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
d says:
Too much money to leave. it’s not like he did something wrong in this situation. Granted, you want to be on the court if you love the game, but I’d stick around and be an overpaid role player. It’s not his fault and he’s sticking to his contract. Let the warriors move him
March 12th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Big Shot BOB says:
I think Don is just telling the truth we are loaded in the backcourt and someone has to go. If not Jamal then Monta. I also really hope they fire Mullin and Don Nelson for someone that actually cares about winning a chip instead of aiming for the playoffs. We have a stockpile of young talent along with some picks. If they don’t ship Nelson and Mullin out we’ll just end up picking a tall lanky 145 pound power foward that will sit the pine.
March 12th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
len-e says:
playing time – only live once
March 12th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Kobeef says:
Crawford would be insane to opt out, especialy after his coach just lowered his value by 50% by saying he is not an effecive starter.
March 12th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Fresh says:
Nelson is good coach…
Never understoodd him, this guy is fucked up…
He destroyed the Warriors 90′s era…
March 12th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
MBE18 says:
Rock the bench and get PAID!!!!!
March 12th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
G says:
Why opt out? From what nelson says it sounds like GS would try to move him. While it might be hard to do that it’s not impossible. So who knows how long he would have to stay in that situation. Jamal have the “good guy” rep but he doesn’t haft that bad of one either. He’s a durable player can score in bunches, jacks a bit but can hit the big shots. In general I think he’s a decent 2 except for maybe his siZe and d. I think he could earn that paycheck given the right situation.
March 12th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
floRida_evans says:
Jodeci just called.Said to stay and don’t leave.Might’ve been talkin bout a woo-man.
March 12th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Promoman says:
The Warriors are going to hell, especially if the rumors of Monta are true. If they are and Crawford leaves, they’re fucked.
March 13th, 2009 at 1:59 am
dagwaller says:
Nelson may be right, but Crawford isn’t going to make 10 mil a year anywhere else. As a fan I hope that he does opt out, but if I’m him…I’m staying.
March 13th, 2009 at 2:17 am
MOVEZ says:
“GET THAT MONEY FLIP IT THROW IT IN THE AIR”-YOUNG FACE
MYSPACE.COM/FACIONHARRIS
March 13th, 2009 at 3:05 am
solomon (el latino machismo) says:
considering pride, financial security and over-all well being, i’d damn stay if i was JC… you can’t pick up 1 mil just like that, moreso anything near 10 or 20 million… i’d hustle all year long, know my role and shut up if i was guaran-damn-teed that much shit…
March 13th, 2009 at 5:54 am
Raj S says:
His agent is going to tell him to stay. This is a no-brainer.
March 13th, 2009 at 7:22 am
jace says:
monta’s overrated. keep jamal.
March 13th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Mikey says:
Easy decision for Jamal. Leave.
He will make less money in the short term, but he will be better off for the long term. If he stays, he runs the risk of being Stephon Marbury or Jamal Tinsley. How much are either of those guys going to get paid once their deal expires?
The NBA is a league of “what have you done for me lately.” It is in Jamal’s best interest to find a team that will play him.
March 13th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Brown says:
I still can’t understand why they traded for him when they could have just let Al Harrington’s contract expire. They were loaded with wing players BEFORE they traded for JC. How did they not see this coming?
This team is a joke, from the ownership all the way down. I don’t think there’s one person in that organization who has a clue where this team should be headed.
March 13th, 2009 at 9:14 am
YOUNGFED...."I'm back with a new pair of Yay's" says:
Get that PaPuuurrrrr…
March 13th, 2009 at 9:39 am
KnicksFan84 says:
Jamal, don’t opt out. The Warriors made that trade to get you AND your contract. Your obligation is to your family and your bank account. If they can’t afford you, let them trade you, simple as that. They can’t deny you from working if you follow rules to the T. They trying to Marbury you but don’t be fooled, you have done nothing wrong. IF they do happen to pull some stupidity, latch on with the Spurs or one of those teams that are close…
March 13th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Joeman says:
Nelson is slick, Jamal would be crazy to fall for it. Just kill the first team in every practice! Didn’t Monta say he wanted out of GS anyway? Crawford/Barbosa or Crawford/Terry(Jason) which is a better backcourt.
March 26th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Tommy says:
Jamal is a good shooter but he has no mental toughness or defense.He makes to much money.