Lakers rumors: Jamal Crawford wants to play with Lonzo Ball

The latest Lakers rumors are that Jamal Crawford wants to join the Lakers.

Out of all of the Lakers rumors from the regular season as well as the off-season, there are now reports of where Jamal Crawford really wants to play. One of the better sharpshooters in the league, he played a big role in the Clippers doing well with CP3 at the helm.

Now that we know Los Angeles isn’t getting the band back together, Crawford was traded to Atlanta in a three way deal to acquire Danilo Gallinari. He doesn’t want to play in Atlanta, though.

Per an ESPN report:

"Veteran guard Jamal Crawford’s preference would be to join rookie Lonzo Ball in the backcourt with the Lakers if he can get bought out of his contract, a source told The Undefeated."

The story goes on to explain that Crawford doesn’t want to leave Los Angeles. It’s where his family is, and since chemistry on the court also matters, he wants to play with someone he can function with.

He believes Lonzo Ball is that guy.

While the focus is on where he wants to play, the real plus here is for the Lakers. They need more shooting, especially without D’Angelo Russell, and Crawford can provide that. He could perform well as a starter or in a sixth man role.

Sam Amick of USA TODAY tweeted on the situation, saying that Crawford has “no intention” of playing for the Hawks. That’s great news for the Lakers, but how it’ll play out in reality is another story.

Los Angeles would benefit from Crawford in terms of scoring, but other areas might be a concern. He’s good at getting bucks, averaging just over 12 points per game. However, that’s counteracted with under three rebounds and less than two assists per game.

LaVar Ball’s prediction of a playoff run for the Lakers isn’t too far off with Crawford in the mix. Should he end up with the Lakers, it’ll tell us more about Luke Walton’s ability to coach higher quality talent.

Obviously, he had a lot of experience with Golden State by helping direct the best team in the league. But that was only as an assistant, he’ll get his chance as the decision maker if this happens.

Anyone that thought the Lakers were just going to accept the lottery lifestyle will be proven wrong if Crawford comes back. Not only has he shown interest in LA, but they could be stacked as soon as next summer.

All we can do at this point is get ready for the madness. It’s what this off-season is turning into, and there’s no way to get out of it.

Next: Predicting The First Four Years Of Lonzo Ball

Crawford coming to the Lakers is what’s best for both sides.