Jamal Crawford to call Knicks games on MSG Network this NBA season: Sources

Jamal Crawford will be a game analyst for New York Knicks games this season, sources briefed on the move said Wednesday.

While Hall of Famer Clyde Frazier will join Mike Breen on the bulk of the game telecasts, MSG Network has added Crawford for about 10 games.

MSG Network declined to comment.

This move comes as Crawford is a sought-after free agent on the national scene with interest from major networks.

Crawford is not returning to TNT Sports as it enters what is likely its outgoing season as the home of NBA games. The league has signed 11-year, $76 billion contracts with ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Amazon Prime Video that begin next year.

Crawford, who played two decades in the NBA, including with the Knicks, has emerged as a candidate to join either Amazon, NBC or ESPN. All three have shown interest, though only ESPN could put Crawford to work this year. He wasn’t on ESPN’s original slate of analysts, which the network announced Monday.

Amazon and NBC begin their NBA packages next season. It would be surprising if Crawford does not land a national job.

Crawford, 44, has called games for TNT Sports and appeared as a regular on its studio shows, mainly its Tuesday editions. TNT has added Vince Carter full-time on Tuesdays this season.

Last season, MSG Network planned to have former Knick and lead ESPN analyst Mark Jackson join the crew, but Knicks president Leon Rose put a kibosh on the arrangement, denying Jackson a seat on the team plane because of an old quarrel with assistant coach Darren Erman. Jackson then decided to forgo the opportunity.

In 2014, Erman was an assistant under Jackson, who was then the Golden State Warriors head coach. Jackson fired Erman. ESPN reported that Erman had taped Jackson and players, unbeknownst to them. Jackson later termed the actions “inexcusable.” Both Erman and Jackson would have been on the team plane together.

TNT Sports’ parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, is suing the NBA in an attempt to retain the NBA after it lost the bidding that ended up with Amazon Prime Video, NBC/Peacock and ESPN/ABC with the rights. In its suit, Warner Bros. Discovery is specifically targeting the package awarded to Amazon.

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