NBA Free Agency: Examining The Shooting Guard Options
By Adam McGee
Allen Crabbe
Having only played limited minutes in his first two seasons in the league, Allen Crabbe’s third season with the Portland Trail Blazers saw him break out into the wider NBA consciousness.
A big summer lies ahead for the 24-year-old, and trying to get a handle on his price tag has become a tricky business. On one hand he has only started 17 NBA games in his career and has a career average of 7.0 points per game, but on the other he’s become so many people’s best kept secret that a bidding war driving up his price wouldn’t be all that surprising.
For teams looking for a specialist “three-and-D” wing, Crabbe seems like a perfect solution. The California native shot 39.3 percent from beyond the arc this season on just under five attempts per 36 minutes. On the opposite end of the floor, his brand of long, rangy, athleticism pays off allowing him to switch and giving him the potential to be a real defensive pest.
Crabbe’s confidence is another important factor. With only limited opportunities so far, there will likely be teams who feel like he has the right mix of personality type and scoring instincts to flourish in a bigger role.
Too much intrigue surrounds Crabbe for him to come cheap this summer, particularly as Portland have plenty of cap space and hold his Bird Rights. He may prove to be too expensive for teams who already have money set to be tied up in the long term for key players already on the roster, but he’ll definitely be worth a call.
Next: Leandro Barbosa