Landry Fields and Toronto Raptors Verbally Agree to Contract

Landry Fields Verbally Agrees to Contract with Toronto Raptors

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgDV2zqaUM_dnfc8YhMgZt0FTyAkPnIDujtlIqf2K0bxUOTWo3opum0na7G4_jEELDoCmdGifSTQ0nHrNUkv_rRf6uD4teF52uV7HEc-KmMt7ufoBPcnWDWssgqLPe8qd4rFTuBy7vmyA/s1600/alg_knicks_landry_dunk.jpg

New York Knicks restricted free agent shooting guard Landry Fields has verbally agreed to a three year $20 million dollar contract with the Toronto Raptors.  He cannot sign the contract until July 11^th, which is the first day NBA players can sign contracts. 

The Knicks will have three days to match the offer on Fields once he signs.  Heading into the off-season, the main priorities for the Knicks were to re-sign Landry Fields, Jeremy Lin, Steve Novak and J.R. Smith.  Fields current offer from the Raptors at approximately $6.7 million annually is not what the Knicks were expecting to pay for Fields, so there is a very good chance his contract will not be matched as the Knicks need to match offers for Jeremy Lin. 

Since Carmelo Anthony has come on board, Fields has not been the same player, seeing his numbers sink like a rock since Anthony’s arrival.  Fields shooting numbers were the most glaring decrease, as his 3 point shooting percentage dropped from 39.3% to 25.6% and his free throw percentage went from 76.9% to 56.2%.  His overall shooting percentage dropped as well, from 49.7% to 46.0%.

Fields is a player who best fits in a system where he can play off the ball and use his intangibles.  He is a strong rebounder for a shooting guard and is capable of playing above average defense, especially when he moves to small forward.

It seemed at first that the Raptors only gave Fields this offer sheet to deter the Knicks from using him as a trade piece in a sign-and-trade for Steve Nash; but with Nash heading to the Los Angeles Lakers the offer seems to stay standing.  The Knicks had wished to bring Fields back on their own terms, but will likely let him walk and look elsewhere.  Look for them to step up their efforts in re-signing J.R. Smith or looking outside the organization at players like O.J. Mayo or DeShawn Stevenson.

http://www.nba.com/media/act_oj_mayo.jpg

http://netsarescorching.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/GYI0062942734_crop_450x500.jpg