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Philadelphia 76ers: 3 reasons to not sign Jamal Crawford

By Derek Hryn

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 14: Jamal Crawford #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves speaks to the media after the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 14, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 14: Jamal Crawford #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves speaks to the media after the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 14, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

2. Defense

Defense is an essential aspect of winning for the Sixers, and Crawford doesn’t exactly fit the bill.

His defensive rating was 112.9 last season, which means that he was one of the NBA’s worst defenders from a statistical standpoint.

The Sixers on the other hand, are a team whose defense was widely recognized after last season. They had the NBA’s third-best defensive rating of 102.0, and allowed a league-low 41.6 points per game in the paint. They also had two members named to NBA All-Defensive Teams in Robert Covington (First Team) and Joel Embiid (Second Team).

Although the team’s numbers appear dazzling to the eye, they did have their weaknesses defensively — most notably in the backcourt. Defending against explosive guards was one of their main struggles at times.

If they are hoping to fix that problem this year, then it would be wise to not engage Crawford. Not only is he a liability defensively, his shooting doesn’t give an organization much to rave about either.