Landry Fields and Toronto Raptors Verbally Agree to Contract

Landry Fields Verbally Agrees to Contract with Toronto Raptors

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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.

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Jason Kidd Chooses Knicks over Mavs

Jason Kidd to Sign with Knicks

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In what is thought to be quite a turn of events, point guard Jason Kidd will be joining the New York Knicks.

Kidd, formerly of the Dallas Mavericks, was thought to be heavily considering re-signing with the team.  In fact, as of this morning, the news was that Kidd had actually agreed to three year $9 million contract and that the Knicks were now putting their focus on Raymond Felton.

But as quickly as that news started to spread, Kidd had a change of heart and decided to become a Knick.  After being outbid by the Lakers for Steve Nash, the Knicks needed to make a move and adding Kidd was a great pickup.  The Knicks gave Kidd the same contract, signing him for three years and $9 million.

Kidd will bring a lot to the Knicks that they have been lacking.  He brings championship caliber leadership and is a highly respected veteran around the NBA.  He adds size to a Knicks backcourt; being a bigger body he should be able to play with any other guard on the Knicks roster.  Also, Kidd will aid the Knicks in the rebounding game, an area in which they struggled at times with this past season. 

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Kidd also would be an outstanding mentor for Jeremy Lin if the Knicks are able to bring him back.  Kidd knows a lot about the game of basketball and has been able to change the type of player he is as he has aged.  He has a plethora of knowledge that he would have no problem sharing with Lin, as Kidd enjoys taking on younger players and mentoring them.  Don’t forget that the Knicks also have another young guard in Iman Shumpert who could learn a thing or two from Kidd as well. 

A reason for the change of heart for Kidd, one that is not basketball related, has not been talked about much.  That reason is an opportunity to be closer to his kids.  After going through an ugly divorce earlier in his career, he now has a possibility to make up for lost time with his children, being a short distance away instead of halfway across the United States.

Lin and Novak Win Early Bird Rights Appeal

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The Knicks season did not go as hoped, but they could not have asked for a better start to the off-season. 

The day after the Miami Heat won the NBA Championship, the Knicks had a victory of their own.  Arbitrator Kenneth Dam ruled that Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak would retain their “Early Bird” rights heading into the 2012-2013 season.  In addition, Chauncey Billups and J.J. Hickson won their full Bird Rights from the same trial. 

"Bird and Early Bird Rights are the lynchpin of our Soft Cap system and we're pleased that Professor Dam recognized that a player does not forfeit these important rights unless he makes an affirmative decision to sign with a new team as a free agent," NBPA Executive Director Billy Hunter said.  "Players fought hard for a Collective Bargaining Agreement that allows maximum flexibility for free agent players while as permitting teams to retain their core free agents and today's decision affirms both these important principles." 

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This outcome was a surprise for some, especially NBA commissioner David Stern.  He had expressed confidence that the NBA would win this case, denying the players who were claimed on waivers their “Bird” and “Early Bird” rights.  The NBA plans to appeal the ruling, and have 10 days to do so.  Ron Klempner, the NBA players’ association Deputy General Counsel, has confidence that the ruling will stand even after the appeal.

Klempner said, "The NBA is entitled under the CBA to file and appeal and we will respond accordingly.  We don't think any such appeal has merit and we are confident that the decision will stand and these players will benefit from it, whether it's through an expedited appeal process or a negotiated resolution."

Future players claimed off waivers should reap the same benefits that these four players have as well.  

This is a huge win for the Knicks, whose outlook on the off-season was very cloudy at best; now it is clearer.  With Lin and Novak winning the case, their salaries will not count against the Knicks cap, meaning they can go over the salary cap to retain both players.  This is important because they can now save the mid-level exception slot to add another piece to the puzzle.  There have been plenty of rumors swirling about players such as Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Jamal Crawford, Raymond Felton and Lamar Odom wanting to play for the Knicks.  This ruling in court has made the possibility of adding players of such stature increase immensely.