LOS ANGELES — Forget about Dwight Howard’s bitter reunion with the Orlando Magic.
Dec 032012
Nov 192012
Nine months after Linsanity, Mike D’Antoni and Jeremy Lin have changed teams. Ken Berger says the new Lakers coach gets to reminisce with his most recent point guard before preparing to reunite with his favorite one.
Oct 162012
Important update to our weekend report regarding the prospect of a return to the Los Angeles Lakers for veteran guard Derek Fisher.
Sources briefed on the discussions told ESPN.com on Monday that Fisher has, indeed, been verified by the league office as eligible to re-sign with the Lakers since July 1, which runs counter to the widely held assumption that Fisher had to wait at least one year from the date that the Lakers dealt him to Houston in March before a reunion with Kobe Bryant would be permissible.
Oct 042012
Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler will return to London early next year — and this time, they’ll bring their Knicks teammates along for the ride.
The NBA announced on Thursday that the Knicks will square off against the Pistons in a regular-season game on Jan. 17 at The O2 arena. It will be a nice treat (and reunion of sorts) for Knicks coach Mike Woodson, who was a Detroit assistant when the Pistons won the title in 2004.
“I am excited to show our great fans in London what New York basketball is about,” he said in a statement.
Jul 042012
Steve Nash could be headed for a reunion with Amar’e Stoudemire as the Knicks and Phoenix Suns continue working on a sign-and-trade for the two-time MVP point guard.
Jul 042012
Steve Nash could be headed for a reunion with Amar’e Stoudemire as the Knicks and Phoenix Suns continue working on a sign-and-trade for the two time MVP point guard.
The proposed deal would include Iman Shumpert, a player the Knicks are reluctant to part with, as well as Toney Douglas and at …
Jul 032012
While both Lin and the Knicks are hoping for a reunion, sources have said that if any clubs offer Lin, a restricted free agent, a backloaded contract that pays him an eight-figure salary in the third and fourth years, the Knicks could be given pause about matching the offer.
With the new collective bargaining agreement employing a more punitive luxury tax, beginning in the 2013-14 season, the Knicks are extremely concerned about the financial ramifications of such a deal.
Jul 022012
Former New York Knick Marcus Camby could be making a return to Madison Square Garden this offseason.
ESPN’s Jared Zwerling reports:
A source close to Marcus Camby told ESPNNewYork.com on Monday that the unrestricted free agent would be interested in returning to the Knicks.
“Marcus lives in New York in the offseason, and if it works out there, it would be terrific,” the source said.
A possible reunion is all fine and dandy, except for the fact that the 38-year-old center isn’t worth what the Knicks would have to go through to get him.
The Knicks would likely have to use their mid-level exception of $3.09 million to sign Camby, but that will only be an option if James Dolan and the rest of the front office are able to acquire a free-agent point guard through a sign-and-trade.
If a sign-and-trade doesn’t work out, the Knicks would most likely look to use their mid-level exception to sign a free-agent point guard, meaning that they would only be able to pay Camby the veteran minimum of $1.4 million.
According to Zwerling, a source close to Camby said he would be “shocked” if the four-time blocks leader took the veteran minimum.
Camby is a fan favorite amongst the Knicks’ faithful, and even though he averaged nine boards per game last season with the Houston Rockets, he’s not worth the mid-level exception at just over $3 million.
He’s be a good defensive option off the bench, but Tyson Chandler doesn’t need to come out too often, as we saw last season. Despite lingering injuries, Chandler missed just four games while playing over 33 minutes a night.
That still means he’s out for 15 minutes per game, but his absence gives Amar’e Stoudemire more time and room to work in the paint. If Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony are ever going to coexist, Stoudemire needs to work on his game down low, especially when Chandler is out.
Call me crazy, but Jared Jeffries was a viable defensive player off the bench last season. He’s not under contract anymore, but he probably wouldn’t mind giving the Knicks a hometown discount seeing as he can’t do a thing on the offensive end of the court.
It’s just speculation of course, but it’s not a stretch to say that Jeffries is more likely to take the veteran minimum than Camby.
There are bigger issues the Knicks need to address this offseason. The most notable would be their current lack of a point guard and the need for another perimeter shooting to space the floor.
Camby would be a good fit if the offseason dwindles down and the Knicks haven’t found any other players they would like to acquire, but for now, it would be better to stay away.
Read more New York Knicks news on BleacherReport.com
Jul 022012
New York Knicks fans got to breathe a bit of fresh air last week when the NBA dropped their appeal, granting waived players like Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak their Bird rights.
However ESPN’s Chris Broussard put an end to the celebration when he reported that the Knicks likely will lose Lin if a team gives the point guard a heavy backloaded contract offer. Broussard wrote:
While both Lin and the Knicks are hoping for a reunion, sources say that if any clubs offer Lin, a restricted free agent, a backloaded contract that pays him an eight-figure salary in the third and fourth years, the Knicks could be given pause about matching the offer.
With the new collective bargaining agreement employing a more punitive luxury tax, beginning in the 2013-14 season, the Knicks are extremely concerned about the financial ramifications of such a deal.
The Knicks can offer Lin a four-year deal worth $24.5 million. But an opposing team can offer Lin a backloaded deal that could go as high as $40 million over four years. Such a contract would pay Lin $5 million in each of the first two years and then go as high as $15 million in each of the last two years.
Matching a contract like that would give the Knicks four players—Lin, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler—making more than $14 million in the 2014-2015 season.
Those four players alone would have a combined salary of $72 million, nearly $2 million above the luxury tax.
If that’s the case, the Knicks would have to allow Lin to walk. If he does, here’s a look at his top potential suitors.
Jun 302012
Deron Williams is down to the Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks on where he wants to sign during this year’s free agency. With everything going on, it seems like all signs point towards that he will re-sign in Brooklyn.
Williams has been in Brooklyn this whole time, but is still torn between them and his hometown in Dallas. According to ESPN’s Ric Bucher, D-Will will meet with representatives of both teams on Monday before he makes his decision.
Williams also shares the same agent with current Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd and it’s likely that wherever Williams go, Kidd will join him there and be his backup. With that, it’s either Williams makes a reunion to his hometown to Dallas or Kidd makes a reunion to his old team with the Nets.
All signs point to Brooklyn, as reports are saying Kidd purchased a house near Brooklyn as it’s in East Hampton. Other sources say that Williams and Kidd have already made the decision to play for the Nets next seas…