The Portland Trailblazers had their season fall apart. They can't seem to get a break with injuries. Greg Oden has knee surgery again, they lost LaMarcus Alldridge, and Raymond Felton and Nicolas Batum have been out a lot.
Early in the season, former Suns GM and current TNT analyst Steve Kerr called them a legitimate title contender. Now they are lottery bound and appear to be tanking it in the last part of the season.
While playing the Phoenix Suns, Blazers guard Jamal Crawford made an interesting comment that was caught by a member of the media. John Bloom heard it and tweeted this:
Jamal Crawford just told EJ on press row and Alvin Gentry on the sidelines that he "needs to be here in Phoenix" w/ Blazer teammates nearby
— Jon Bloom (@Azbloom) April 17, 2012
Certainly this is interesting. He has one year left on his contract, so unless a trade happens he is stuck. However, what motivated this?
Was it a reaction to the team situation or is it something more?
Was it a joke?
After all, he might not even have meant being here to play for the Suns. Maybe it was lamenting the Oregon weather and wishing he lived here. It is an awfully nice place to live right now. We like the sun.
We all know that the ladies here are something else. Maybe it was that.
Crawford is 32. While that isn't ancient, maybe he is thinking ahead to his retirement. Retirees love Phoenix.
Maybe it had something to do with the actual team. Is it the training staff? The coaching staff? The offensive system? Or maybe it was just that he was here and frustrated at the state of his current team.
Perhaps it was referring to some sort of appointment he has here, which is why he "needs to be here in Phoenix."
Without the complete context, who knows?
But it certainly is fun to try and figure it out. Oh, and comments like that make for a little scandal, which we all love.
Talk more Suns at Bright Side of the Sun.
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