J Crawford: Season Opening Starting PG?

[Tr1boy]

No. The guy will be in stevens doghouse by the time the season starts.

Ab starts with lee as sg

Or if stevens wants to go the traditional route, pressey starts.

[saltlover]

I think Nolan Smith winds up with a non-guaranteed contract and takes some of those minutes while Rondo is out.  Whether he makes it to the end of the season, or is released when Rondo comes back, depends upon the Celtics making another move that reduces salary before the January deadline for his contract to become fully guaranteed.  (It also, of course, depends on his performance).

But without Smith, Crawford is the third-best point guard on this roster (heck, he may be better than Smith anyway).  It doesn't mean he's particularly good at it, but someone's got to play if Rondo isn't going to be available for an extended stretch.

Nolan Smith signed to play for a Croatian team over the weekend.

Well nevermind then.  :-)

[Interceptor]

I'd be fine with J-Craw running the point to start, although I'd prefer him off the bench. He's a much better passer than he gets credit for, and he can handle the ball.

[gpap]

For all the speculation  - and the stated desire - to trade Jordan Crawford NOW for a box of rocks, isn't it possible that he ends up being our opening night starter at PG, or at least someone who gets some serious run there for the first twenty games?

Rondo may well be out for the first month of the season, or for some undefined period time. With the current roster, this leaves Pressey as the only legitimate PG, i.e. a rookie, and undrafted FA summer league signing.  This is asking a lot from Pressey.

Admittedly, Coach Stevens could go with Avery Bradley at the point, but I sincerely hope that  - especially at the start of the season - AB is allowed to return to his natural position, after a somewhat disastrous, and certainly disruptive, run at PG last season. This is in the long term interest of both AB and the team.

Given this, and a likely desire to showcase JCraw for a prospective trade, isn't it just as likely that he begins the seasons as our starting PG, than that he gets traded before training camp?

oh god i hope not.

Lol, I second that. I want nothing to do with Jordan Crawford on this team, let alone as the starting point guard.

If that's the case, then I guess the Celts really are tanking.

[gpap]

I think Nolan Smith winds up with a non-guaranteed contract and takes some of those minutes while Rondo is out.  Whether he makes it to the end of the season, or is released when Rondo comes back, depends upon the Celtics making another move that reduces salary before the January deadline for his contract to become fully guaranteed.  (It also, of course, depends on his performance).

But without Smith, Crawford is the third-best point guard on this roster (heck, he may be better than Smith anyway).  It doesn't mean he's particularly good at it, but someone's got to play if Rondo isn't going to be available for an extended stretch.

What's Nolan Ryan doing these days?

[Jeff]

sounds tankerific

[gpap]

To get back to the Crawford thing, this is why the Celts should've signed a point guard this offseason.

They probably could've easily had Mo Williams if they wanted to.

Rondo aside, there is no other true point guard on this team except for Pressey and I don't know a thing about him.

Stephen Jackson is still out there. Much rather him than "JCraw."

[Emmette Bryant]

As a reminder, Jcraw did play the point for the Wizards, filling in for John Wall when he was hurt. And he does have a couple triple doubles (ten+ assist) to his credit...

I agwee with my gweat fwiend Wick Wobeys Weturn.  Twy it out in the pwe season and see what happens.

[PhoSita]

sounds tankerific

[TheGreenMonster]

[gar]

OK so we are down one or two point guards. I like the fact that the will allow people to show what they can do. Crawford's, Lee's and especially Bradley's value will only be higher if they can play PG. If they can't nows the time to find out.

Whoever can play backup PG has a job short-term and better trade value long-term. All for it!

This is not tanking it is developing your assets. If someone wanted to trade Mo Williams or Chauncey Billups for Jordan Crawford I am sure Danny would have welcomed the idea.

[jambr380]

As a reminder, Jcraw did play the point for the Wizards, filling in for John Wall when he was hurt. And he does have a couple triple doubles (ten+ assist) to his credit...

And eventually they were so tired of him that they were willing to give him away for nothing....

Not really, it's more like when Ricky Davis was on the Cavs, but then they got Lebron. I am not a humongous fan of Crawford's game, but he is severely underrated on this blog. He is much more talented than so many players in this league. He is exactly the kind of player a young team should want to keep. If he could develop just a little discipline, he could become a semi-star. 13 ppg so far in his career isn't too shabby.

[D.o.s.]

As a reminder, Jcraw did play the point for the Wizards, filling in for John Wall when he was hurt. And he does have a couple triple doubles (ten+ assist) to his credit...

And eventually they were so tired of him that they were willing to give him away for nothing....

Not really, it's more like when Ricky Davis was on the Cavs, but then they got Lebron. I am not a humongous fan of Crawford's game, but he is severely underrated on this blog. He is much more talented than so many players in this league. He is exactly the kind of player a young team should want to keep. If he could develop just a little discipline, he could become a semi-star. 13 ppg so far in his career isn't too shabby.

That's true.

A lot of posters here don't like Crawford, but he's almost certainly our best option at the PG spot if Rondo isn't ready to go.

[gar]

Both Crawford and Lee were better at the point than Bradley IMO; however Bradley's lack of size makes it important for his development to at least give it another try. So will be interesting to see what the rotation is and who gets the call. Crawford and Bradley backed by Pressey and Brooks would be my guess. Pressey and Crawford both have some 3pt range. Will see if Brooks has improved this part of his game.

[LooseCannon]

As a reminder, Jcraw did play the point for the Wizards, filling in for John Wall when he was hurt. And he does have a couple triple doubles (ten+ assist) to his credit...

And eventually they were so tired of him that they were willing to give him away for nothing....

Not really, it's more like when Ricky Davis was on the Cavs, but then they got Lebron. I am not a humongous fan of Crawford's game, but he is severely underrated on this blog. He is much more talented than so many players in this league. He is exactly the kind of player a young team should want to keep. If he could develop just a little discipline, he could become a semi-star. 13 ppg so far in his career isn't too shabby.

I accept he has talent.  I am just pessimistic about players like him becoming more disciplined.  If you thought he would never become a more mature player, would you want to keep him around?

I might be interested in keeping him around as the coach's whipping boy, someone who gets punished as an example to the players you actually have hopes for that they need to get with the program, or else.