Much like when he’s on the court and has a wide-open look at the basket, New
Orleans guard Jordan Crawford didn’t hesitate. After receiving a message from
Anthony Davis regarding a multi-day meeting of Pelicans players last month in
Lexington, Ky., Crawford immediately cleared his schedule, making sure he’d be
there.
“He kind of just said it straightforward,” Crawford related of the four-time
All-Star’s plan to host a voluntary team gathering on the University of Kentucky
campus. “But it came across like you could tell that we needed to be there, like
it was something he wanted to get done. It was good that he did that, because
even though he’s younger than a lot of players here, he’s the leader. He’s got
to take on that role.”
Crawford, 28, described the Lexington meeting of about a dozen Pelicans as an
initial step toward building off-court chemistry and cohesiveness, for a 2017-18
roster that will include more than a handful of new players. A former teammate
of Rajon Rondo with the Boston Celtics for one season, it’s something Crawford
says the Pelicans’ new starting point guard emphasizes as key to team success.
“He likes to do a lot of team-bonding stuff, whether it’s playing cards or
things like that,” Crawford said of Rondo. “Because he realizes that we have to
all know each other for this to work. That’s what he’s very good at.
“He got it from Kevin Garnett (in Boston). KG is big on that. It might seem like
a little thing, and people might not think it can help a team that much, but it
does make a difference, especially through the dog days of a season.”
Having suited up for five NBA teams – with his longest stretch with one
franchise being the 133 games he played for Washington – Crawford has often been
in situations where he’s had to rapidly adjust to surroundings and teammates. He
supports Rondo’s approach of trying to do anything possible to increase
familiarity between players; in addition to Rondo, New Orleans officially signed
Ian Clark and Darius Miller in free agency, along with drafting Frank Jackson.
The Pelicans also added two-way contract signees Jalen Jones and Charles Cooke.
As of Tuesday morning, they still officially have open roster spots.
“One of the things (Rondo) brings to a team is he makes players understand that
we are in this together,” Crawford explained. “You might think of it as a
defiant attitude or something like that, but it’s really (having the
perspective) that the coaches are part of this team, but they’re not going to be
on the court with us.”
The Pelicans are aware of the unique importance of 2017-18 for several key
players, including three-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, who’s trying to reach
the playoffs for the first time. Davis and Jrue Holiday will attempt to appear
in the postseason for only their second time in New Orleans. An annual
springtime star early in his career with Boston, even Rondo has only played in
four playoff games over the past five years.
Crawford views the Lexington workouts – which included intrasquad scrimmages and
some away-from-basketball bonding – as important in being able to envision what
the ’17-18 Pelicans will look like this fall.
“It put every player into the role they are going to have this season,” Crawford
said. “It put AD in the role of leadership, by getting all of us to come out
there (to Kentucky). As good as he is, he’s going to have to be demanding of
players, but it makes it easier when you have someone like him who is willing to
sacrifice (for the team). It got Rondo connected with Jrue and AD and DeMarcus.
So it was good to be able to picture it and say, ‘OK, this is going to be our
team.’ ”
Player: Ian Clark
Player: Charles Cooke
Player: DeMarcus Cousins
Player: Jordan Crawford
Player: Anthony Davis
Player: Jrue Holiday
Player: Frank Jackson
Player: Jalen Jones
Player: Darius Miller
Player: Rajon Rondo
Media Content:
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ns-incorporate-new-players
Media Keywords: NBA, Sports, New Orleans Pelicans, Ian Clark, Charles Cooke,
DeMarcus Cousins, Jordan Crawford, Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Frank Jackson,
Jalen Jones, Darius Miller, Rajon Rondo, New Orleans Pelicans
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Taxonomy: pelicans
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