The Portland Trail Blazers have landed a player they pursued as a top priority.

Blazer fans learned that guard, Jamal Crawford, had decided to join the Blazers when he posted “Rip City” on his Twitter account.

Crawford also tweeted his thanks to the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings — two teams also courting him. Acting General Manager Chad Buchanan suspects social media had a hand in how Crawford made his decision, as well.

“You know I said ‘our coaches, our players, our entire organization, is excited to have you.’ And he’s like ‘and the fans, too!’. He’s like, ‘Man, I’m hearing from all these fans, I cannot wait to get down there.’ So it definitely weighed on Jamal, and we’re very appreciative that our fans are as passionate as they are, to go that extra mile to do that, because that doesn’t happen in very many NBA cities.”

Buchanan says fans should be able to see Crawford at the Blazers’ fanfest scrimmage Friday night. Crawford won the NBA’s “Sixth Man of the Year” award in 2010, as a member of the Atlanta Hawks.

He is 31, and a long-time friend of outgoing Blazers’ star, Brandon Roy.

The Blazers announced Thursday they’re using an “amnesty clause” to release Roy, who decided last week to pursue a medical retirement. Another Blazer with health questions — LaMarcus Aldridge — announced Thursday that a doctor’s check of his heart went well.

This story originally appeared on Oregon Public Broadcasting.