Suns veteran Jamal Crawford cut out Capri Suns and followed a simple edict to stick around the NBA to play on his 8th team in 19 years

• Jamal Crawford is 38 years old and on his eighth team in 19 seasons, and has become a key player for the Phoenix Suns.
• Crawford is considered ageless on the court and says he's stayed young by making dietary tweaks like cutting out Capri Suns and treating his body right.
• Crawford says his career motto is loving the game and that if you treat it well, it will treat you well back.

As the NBA regular season began and Jamal Crawford remained unsigned, he could have chosen to wait it out, hoping some contending team would reach out in need and offer him a contract.

But one thing rules Crawford's life, and that is the love of basketball. So, in mid-October, he joined the Phoenix Suns when they offered him a deal.

"It got to a point where, I love basketball so much, to be honest with you, that I didn't wanna just miss the start of the season," Crawford told INSIDER on Monday before playing the New York Knicks. "Like, I could've waited [for an offer from a contender], played that game, see how that worked out, but when the season started, I wanted to be out there."

It turns out the Suns do need him. Before the season, they had ambitions of competing for the playoffs. Instead, they entered Monday night 6-24, last in the NBA.

Crawford is uniquely qualified for this role as team sage. Now on his eighth team in 19 years in the NBA, Crawford has played for every type of outfit, from lottery dwellers to pseudo contenders.

"This isn't the end-all, be-all," Crawford said when asked what he tells younger Suns players as they grind through a dismal season.

"Just work every day. Take it day by day, get better. But there's a bigger picture to this. As long as you can worry about the stuff you can control, that's always best for you."

Crawford has been a breath of fresh air in the locker room, as other players would tell it. No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton told The Athletic's Gina Mizzel on Monday that he continually tells Crawford that it's an "honor" to be around him.

The NBA world jokes about Crawford's agelessness, particularly in his looks.

But behind Crawford's longevity has been hard work and help from others, including some dietary changes made by his wife.

"I switched Capri Suns for water," Crawford said. "My wife made me, actually. She started changing my diet before I noticed she was changing it, to be honest with you. Like, I started eating more whole foods, better stuff. At first, it was like once a week. Then it was like four times a week."

But Crawford also said he made sacrifices to hang around the NBA.

"Staying in love. I think if you're in love, you're willing to do anything that comes with it. Whether that be foam roller or ice tub or Epsom salt bath or stretching, whatever it might be, getting extra shots up. If you wanna actually love the game like that, then you'll sacrifice.

"If you're good to the game, the game is usually good to you."

That youthfulness was on display Monday night against the Knicks, when Crawford racked up a career-high 14 assists (off the bench), helping the Suns beat the Knicks, 128-110.

There is a lot of season left to be played, but even with the Suns winning three in a row, it doesn't appear as if they're heading for meaningful games soon. Crawford could ask for a trade to a contender if he wanted. He could aim for lofty stats, climbing further up on some leaderboards - he ranks 58th all-time in points, sixth all-time in made threes, and 25th all-time games played. 

But those aren't Crawford's goals.

"The love of playing trumps all of that, to be honest with you," Crawford said. "Even the day I retire, I'll still be playing somewhere."

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