The NBA offseason is quickly drawing to a close, with training camp set to tip off right around the corner in the beginning of October. While some teams have had their rosters and staffs set for weeks now, others are still busy tinkering in the margins. The New Orleans Pelicans have been firmly in the latter group.
Recently, the Pellies made two additions to their coaching staff, adding NBA veterans Jodie Meeks and Greg Monroe to their bench. New Orleans has also made some on-court moves, as well, having signed three additional players on Tuesday, September 24.
While the official details of these acquisitions have yet to be declared, it's official that Izaiah Brockington, Keion Brooks Jr., and Galen Robinson Jr. were each given deals with the Pelicans ahead of training camp. Considering that New Orleans already has 15 players on the roster, not counting their three two-way contracts, and has already waived Galen Robinson Jr. to make room for newest signee, Jalen Crutcher, these players won't likely make the regular season roster. But, they could have an opportunity to prove themselves in training camp, whether that be for the Pelicans next season, down the line, or even with a different NBA team.
Who is Jalen Crutcher?
Jalen Crutcher is a 25-year-old career workhorse looking to make his mark in the NBA. Coming out of high school, he wasn't a blue-chip prospect by any means. 247Sports had him ranked as a three-star recruit, the 67th point guard in his class, and the sixth-best player coming out of his home state of Tennessee.
He received a few offers from smaller schools such as DePaul and Florida Gulf Coast University before ultimately committing to the Dayton Flyers. He spent all four years of his eligibility playing for Dayton, working tirelessly to earn more minutes and trust from Head Coach Anthony Grant. The Flyers never made the big dance during Crutcher's run, but, in 2019-20, they did climb as high as third on the AP Poll.
At 6'1, Crutcher neither possesses elite size or athleticism for a point guard. Yet, despite his humble beginnings and lack of God-given natural gifts, he showed steady improvements year over year at Dayton and proved to be a loyal player who trusts in his own game and the process. By his senior year, he was spearheading the Flyers' attack, having averaged 17.6 points and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 46 percent from the field and 37 percent from deep.
After college, Crutcher has spent three seasons continuing his grind in the G-League, with two seasons with the Greensboro Swarm and one season with the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans' affiliate. For his G-League career, he's averaged 15.8 points and 5.4 assists a night with shooting splits of 46/42/80.
Throughout his career, he's proved to be a consistent ballhandler who is capable of generating offense for himself and his teammates off of the bounce. He can score at all three levels but is at his best launching from deep. He might not drop any jaws with high-flying athletic displays, but he has a good feel reading the floor and has a solid all-around game that makes him a great plug-and-play option for any team looking for additional playmaking and perimeter scoring.
Crutcher was on the Pelicans' active roster for six games last season, but only actually checked in once for less than three minutes in a late February blowout win over the New York Knicks. From what we've seen from Crutcher, that taste of the NBA isn't nearly enough for his desires and work ethic. We'll see if he can carve out a deeper NBA future, starting with this camp deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.