With the new NBA season now less than 40 days away, there are several notable free agents still on the market. One of those is veteran Jamal Crawford, who is finding it difficult to land a deal to return for a 19th season in the league. A number of players around the NBA have been mystified at how the silky ball-handler is still on the market. In July, Isaiah Thomas was one of the first to do so as he publicly questioned why Crawford is still without a team. "How is @JCrossover still a free agent? Makes no sense!" he wrote on Twitter. 

Respect among his peers

IT is certainly not alone in thinking that as Kemba Walker has become the latest to wonder why the 38-year-old hasn't been picked up. 

“I have no idea why he’s a free-agent, man," he said, per Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson of Scoop B Radio.

"Everybody loves J.C. He’s a great dude first of all and basketball-wise, I mean, everybody knows what he does. He’ll bring it every night. He can score with the best of ’em.”

Crawford spent last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves but he declined a $4.5 million player option on his contract to become a free agent.

He averaged 10.3 points and 2.3 assists per game but his shooting numbers were not particularly great as he hit just 41.5 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from three-point range. 

The three-time Sixth Man of the Year didn't provide such a huge scoring threat off the bench for the T-Wolves and teams around the league may feel he's declining too much.

But in the right situation, Crawford will surely believe he can still contribute and be effective. 

Sixers rumours

One team he has been linked with this summer is the Philadelphia 76ers, who can certainly use a scorer for their second unit and a respected veteran presence. 

Last month, the shooting guard spoke openly about his interest in joining the Sixers and how he would fit in well with them. 

“I would be honoured to play there," he said, per Yahoo Sports.

“I like their city. I like how into it they are about basketball. I like their knowledge of basketball, how passionate they are.

"I’ve always loved coach Brett Brown. I’ve been on record. I’ve been a fan of his for years. He just needed talent, and now he has that. He added Ben Simmons, I love his game.

"I love Jojo [Joel Embiid]. They’re both among my favourite players in the league to watch.

"J.J. Redick is like a brother to me, we’ve been through wars together, so there’s so many things to love about Philadelphia for sure.”

Rookie of the Year Bens Simmons also made no secret of his desire to team up with the shooting guard next season. 

This could well be a potential deal to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

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