[This post has been bumped to top.]
Sam Amick of SI.com reports that unrestricted free agent two guard Jamal Crawford "has chosen Portland, according to two sources."
Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports: "Jamal Crawford says he has chosen Portland, but he has not signed. He will announce officially in coming hours."
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports that "Crawford gets a two-year deal for about $10M, with the second year being a player option, source says."
That offer will require additional salary-dumping roster moves or the waiving of guard Brandon Roy via the amnesty clause so that Portland can get below the luxury tax line. The deadline to announce amnesty decisions is Friday.
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Update (12:37 p.m.): The Blazers have reportedly decided to use the amnesty clause on Roy. Details here.
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Crawford wrote on Twitter: "Rip city!!!"
"Officially, nothing has happened, but we're hopeful," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said at practice on Thursday. "We'll talk about that when it officially happens. We're hoping we can get something done with Jamal."
Update (2:27 p.m.): The Blazers sent a press release to confirm the signing.
The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to terms with guard Jamal Crawford. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"We've thought highly of Jamal for a long time and think he's a great fit for our team," said Trail Blazers Acting General Manager Chad Buchanan. "He brings a scorer's touch and veteran leadership that will help us immediately."
Buchanan said in a brief media availability on Thursday that Crawford will come to Portland on Thursday and is expected to join the team on Friday for the Fan Fest intra-squad scrimmage.
Update (6:28 p.m.): The Blazers report that Crawford will wear No. 11 and forward Luke Babbitt will switch to No. 8.
Crawford had narrowed his choices to the Blazers, Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks earlier this week and eliminated the Knicks on Wednesday.
A number of other teams had reported interest in Crawford. The Kings, Knicks, Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves were all linked to him in recent rumors. In the end, Portland offers a solid combination of money, playing time, shots and a decent chance to win now. Plus, there's the geography factor and his relationships with current members of the team.
The Blazers -- and particularly forward LaMarcus Aldridge -- have aggressively courted Crawford for months, since at least October.
Speaking at Aldridge's charity game back on Nov. 6, Crawford told Blazersedge that there was mutual interest between himself and the Blazers.
"Yeah, definitely," he said. "I've been watching the Blazers so long with Brandon [Roy] being one of my best friends. With LaMarcus here, [Wesley Matthews] and Ray [Felton], it's almost close to a hometown team. I'm from Seattle. It's the closest thing we have to baketball right now... I think I would bring a little bit of everything to Portland. Scoring, creating for other people. Trying to make the game easier for my teammates... I think they're a team on the rise."
Crawford has been used in a major minutes bench role in recent years. He said in November that he would be open to continuing that in Portland, where Matthews pencils in as the opening night starter.
"Starting, coming off the bench, it doesn't really matter to me," said Crawford, who figures to plug in as Portland's third guard and play extended minutes.
All the way back in December 2010, a report indicated that former Blazers GM Rich Cho had called the Hawks inquiring about Crawford.
This post will update with more information.
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter