Al Harrington trade for Jamal Crawford, CRAWFUL IS GONE!!!

The Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks have received league approval to complete a trade that will swap disgruntled Warriors forward Al Harrington for Knicks guard Jamal Crawford.
ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher confirmed the league's signoff after reporting early Friday morning that the teams were nearing completion on a deal featuring Harrington and Crawford.
Although neither team has commented, NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that the deal involves no other players and will be formally announced later Friday.

Harrington

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Crawford

<!-- INLINE HEADSHOT (END) -->Harrington went public with a trade demand just before the start of the season after privately urging Golden State to move him for months. New York had immediate interest, seeing the versatile and mobile Harrington as an ideal frontcourt fit in new coach Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo system.
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<!-- end whole table --> Knicks president Donnie Walsh, furthermore, might be Harrington's biggest fan in the league; he drafted the 28-year-old in 1998 and brought him back to Indiana in a deal with Atlanta in the summer of 2006. But Harrington's second stint with the Pacers lasted only a half-season before he was dealt to Golden State in January 2007, along with Stephen Jackson. Reuniting with Harrington will come at a cost for Walsh: It will require the Knicks to part with Crawford, their leading scorer and another player they had pegged to flourish under D'Antoni. The Warriors, according to NBA front-office sources, see Crawford as a versatile guard who, although not a pure floor leader, can function well in coach Don Nelson's system while Monta Ellis recovers from ankle surgery -- and in tandem with Ellis once he returns. Yet it's believed that Walsh has multiple motivations for re-acquiring one of his favorites. Another sizable lure is Harrington's contract, which pays him $9.2 million this season, $10 million next season and expires after the 2009-10 campaign. That meshes with New York's intent to slice payroll and get as far under the salary cap as possible for the highly anticipated free-agent summer of 2010 to join the bidding for Cleveland's LeBron James. Crawford is scoring 19.6 points per game this season after averaging a career-best 20.6 points per game and 5.0 assists last season. Assuming Crawford declines a player option to become a free agent in July 2009, his deal would run through the 2010-11 season, paying $8.6 million this season, $9.4 million in 2009-10 and $10 million in 2010-11. Harrington has played only five games this season, averaging 12.4 points and 5.6 rebounds before missing Golden State's past six games with a back injury. Nelson told ESPN.com on the first weekend of the season that the Warriors would "try to accommodate" Harrington, but not when the Knicks were looking to part with center Eddy Curry as opposed to Crawford. Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. ESPN The Magazine senior writer Ric Bucher contributed to this report.

<!-- end story body --> Related Topics: NBA, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Al Harrington, Jamal Crawford

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GetRealistic said:

We lose scoring, but add a better defender and another guy to rotate down low. A down low rotation of Lee, Randolph, Jefferies, and Harrington ain't to bad.

The real question is with Marbury and Crawford gone what is there left to talk about on this forum?

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sjmp said:

Why all the hating on Crawford. He was fine as a knick. At least he was coherent and a team player. People here saying thank God and he is a cancer... you are a joke. Craw did all he was asked for on the knicks. and with physco marbury around he had to do a lot of different things.

And the real question here is - whats up with harrington's back. is it really bad

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sjmp said:

Why all the hating on Crawford. He was fine as a knick. At least he was coherent and a team player. People here saying thank God and he is a cancer... you are a joke. Craw did all he was asked for on the knicks. and with physco marbury around he had to do a lot of different things.

And the real question here is - whats up with harrington's back. is it really bad

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GetRealistic said:

Hey i agree with the move 100%. Talent wise the players are pretty even in my mind. Crawford has more offense but Harrington has more size and defensive ability. Another plus is Harrington has been playing in Golden State the last few years and shouldn't take long for him to adjust to an uptempo style.

Walsh despite the doubters is slowly working this team into shape. If he can continue to build up Randolphs trade value we will really be on the right track.

My point was the forum is divided into two main topics. Stephon Marbury and Crawford now that there basically both gone what will people have to bitch about.

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TunerAddict said:

My sig says what I think about this trade....

But damn....Now if he is gone, I'm going to need to make a new sig!!!!

Damn it! Whose picture can I put FAIL on now? Malik? But he doesn't play a whole lot....Curry! Thats it....Alright....I'll get working on Curry....

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Akamu said:

Jamal Crawford was trash and needed to go and his poor play has been justified by this move, end of story, go read the Jamal Crawford Sucks thread for more information-



I agree Walsh is slowly weeding out players to change our direction.

Starbury is not playing, fine that is ok I can't do anything about that I just have to trust what the Mike and Walsh are doing.

I wanted him to play, and it is still quite possible but even though he probably won't I won't rule it out until he is actually off the team.

He still will be brought up as a great Knick player despite his differences with the coaches if that is what you were hoping didn't happen-

:gony:

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GetRealistic said:

We lose scoring, but add a better defender and another guy to rotate down low. A down low rotation of Lee, Randolph, Jefferies, and Harrington ain't to bad.

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