New York Knicks Blog – Page 134 – NBA Blog

Walt Frazier says Knicks urgently need stars

Matt Ehalt of the New York Daily News reports:

“It’s urgent that they sign somebody,” Walt Frazier said of the Knicks. “They made sacrifices for a couple years waiting for this moment. I’m sure pretty confident they are going to sign somebody.”

When assessing free agency, Frazier said he thinks the Knicks have a 50-50 chance of signing the free agents. Frazier says LeBron James is the “panacea” and he believes that some of the other free agents available are just pieces and the Knicks would need a couple of players of that caliber to reach a championship level. Other free agents include Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire.

While titles and banners haven’t been the Knicks forterecently, Frazier says he believes that winning a championship in New York is an unmatched experience.

Dwyane Wade gives Heat a wish-list of free agent targets

Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald reports:

Dwyane Wade has given the Miami Heat his “wish list” of potential targets he wants team president Pat Riley to pursue when free agency opens at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.

Landing the services of LeBron James and either Amare Stoudemire or Chris Bosh in Miami would be the beginning of the kind of championship makeover Wade seeks this summer.

Wade stopped short of offering names of the marquee players he discussed with Riley in recent weeks. But the Heat’s star guard repeatedly mentioned James and Bosh when he talked about players who instantly could push a team to title contention.

Talk of James and Bosh coming to Miami intensified Monday amid national speculation the two were leaning toward joining Wade, with each taking slightly less money than the maximum they could command.

Marbury hopes Nets gets LeBron

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports:

Stephon Marbury said he is rooting for LeBron James to sign with the Nets to rescuscitate Newark and, eventually, his home borough, Brooklyn.

“LJ 23 should go to the Nets so that Newark would be able to grow and build businesses for the people there,” Marbury wrote in an e-mail to The Post. “After he builds the economy in Newark he can come to my borough and create a brand new life for people struggling to make it in this tough economy.”

Knicks recruit Allan Houston to land free agents

Marc Berman of the New York Post blog reports:

Allan Houston will be a big part of Knicks’ recruiting team this July – just as Donnie Walsh envisioned it when he was hired as his assistant.

Houston has an “in” with the LeBron James camp, having known LeBron advisor William Wesley for years. Wesley will be at the Akron summit.

But Houston also has a chance to tell the free agents such as James and Joe Johnson what Mike D’Antoni and Donnie Walsh can’t tell them – what it is like to win in New York.

Knicks planning big LeBron James meeting July 1

Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

LeBron James has closely guarded his plans once his much-celebrated free agency starts next week. But the New York Knicks are making preparations like they are expecting to host his first stop.

According to a source, the Knicks are making plans to host an elaborate meal and meeting with James in a high-end location in Manhattan during the afternoon and evening of July 1, which is next Thursday. The tentative plan is for Knicks management and officials to host James and his various agents and friends for a large dinner party catered by a celebrity chef.

The Knicks are currently scouring the city for an available high-rise condo or apartment with a great view to rent for the event, the source said.

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Donald Trump, Chris Rock want LeBron in New York

The New York Post reports:

“New York would be a great thing for LeBron,” said Donald Trump, who has joined the committee along with a cavalcade of other Gotham notables, such as Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Boomer Esiason and Spike Lee.

“He would take over the city,” said Trump. Specifically addressing James, Trump said: “I am in many different cities, but I can tell you, LeBron, there is only one New York.”

Under the team’s plan, the stars would meet with the free agents, tout the city and even show them around, sources said.

Chris Rock, who has also agreed to join the effort, knows just what he would say to LeBron.

“You really want to live in Cleveland? That’s what I would tell him. Where do you want to live?” the comic told The Post.

Former Knick Tom Stith dies at 71

Peter Vecsey of the New York Post reports:

In late March, I received an e- mail from Sam Stith alerting me his younger brother’s health was in decline. Tom, one of New York City’s all-time top 10 schoolboy stars, had been hospitalized on Long Island for a prolonged period because of kidney problems and other issues.

Yesterday, the Knicks’ 1961 first-round pick (No. 2 overall) died, announced former St. Bonaventure teammate Fred Crawford during the Bob Douglas Hall of Fame luncheon honoring Johnny Mathis, Bob Hunter and others.

Tom turned 71 on Jan. 21.

The two Stith brothers established St. Francis Prep as CHSAA champs in the mid-to-late 1950s. They then transformed St. Bonaventure into a national power and Eddie Donovan into a coveted coach.

Kobe does not care where LeBron signs

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports:

“You’re asking me if LeBron is going to New York?” Kobe Bryant told The Post. “I’m trying to tell you in a polite way, I don’t give a [bleep]. “As a fan, it’s a big deal,” Kobe added. “You’re talking about LeBron and Dwyane Wade, it’s two huge names changing cities. It alters things drastically in the NBA. But I really don’t care about it.”

Byron Scott, now an ESPN broadcaster, was standing with Bryant and cracked up. “Why are people talking about LeBron anyway?” Scott said. “Let me tell you something. From me just knowing Kobe, he doesn’t give a [bleep] what everyone is talking about anyway.” “I couldn’t have said it better,” Bryant piped in…

During his formal interview session yesterday, Bryant said of the King James’ cloud over the Finals: “I don’t care about attention. It doesn’t mean anything to me.” Fact is, Bryant, despite a sore knee drained in April, despite a healing broken finger, is playing at the highest level he’s ever played. Historically speaking, Bryant is nearing Jordan’s plane of greatness. James is nowhere in that discussion, even if he has two MVPs to Bryant’s one.

New York Liberty to have Foxwoods logo on game jerseys

The New York Liberty today announced a new multi-year premier partnership with Foxwoods Resort Casino, North America’s largest resort casino. As part of the partnership Foxwoods will receive prominent logo placement on the Liberty jersey, a first-of-its-kind partnership for an Eastern Conference WNBA team and the first resort casino to have branding on the front of a professional sports team jersey.

“The New York Liberty has a passionate fan base in the world’s largest media market, and we are thrilled by the opportunity this partnership presents to promote our brand to WNBA fans, the team’s loyal followers and the New York Metropolitan area at large,” said chief marketing officer for Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprises Robert Victoria. “As North America’s largest resort casino and the East Coast’s premier entertainment destination, Foxwoods always strives to align itself with other best-in-class industry leaders, and we’re confident we’ve done just that with this partnership of the Liberty and its home venue, the legendary Madison Square Garden.”

The Foxwoods name and logo will appear on the front of the Liberty’s home and road jerseys as well as shooting shirts for all games, providing the company with premium brand exposure to fans in-arena and other consumers via national and local media coverage and television broadcasts. The Liberty will debut its new uniforms when the team takes on the Connecticut Sun on Friday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m.

“We are excited to welcome Foxwoods Resort Casino as the premier partner of the New York Liberty. This partnership between two premium brands and industry leaders is a perfect match, bringing together one of the world’s largest resort casinos and ‘The World’s Most Famous Arena.” said Scott O’Neil, president, MSG Sports. “This innovative new partnership provides Foxwoods with a powerful platform that connects an entertainment destination with our incredibly loyal and passionate Liberty fans and New York.”

Added Carol Blazejowski, president, New York Liberty: “We are very proud to partner with Foxwoods Resort Casino and welcome their support of the Liberty and WNBA. We look forward to strategically integrating the Foxwoods brand across all of our business platforms and developing a partnership that will be great for our team and fans both on and off the court.”

The partnership helps build presence for Foxwoods in the New York area and beyond, with brand integration across all of the Liberty’s promotional and marketing platforms, including extensive presence in-arena during Liberty home games with courtside LED signage, logo presence on-court, a feature on GardenVision, and Foxwoods branded on-court contests. In addition, Foxwoods will be promoted to the thousands of passersby daily on The Garden’s outdoor marquees on 7th and 8th Avenue.

Nate Robinson helps Celtics eliminate Magic

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reports:

When Dwight Howard crunched Rajon Rondo to the floor with 32.7 seconds left in the first quarter, and Rondo needed a break to begin the second, Nate Robinson came on with his best stretch of basketball as a Celtic. He gave Rondo the relief he has needed for the entire postseason.

In 8 minutes 46 seconds, Robinson scored 13 points, and added an assist, a steal, and strong defense on Jameer Nelson and Jason Williams.

The Celtics have lacked a backup point guard and when they desperately needed to give Rondo a break, Robinson pushed all of his habits aside and produced.

“Nate Robinson was huge in the first half,’’ Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. “I mean, that was a huge, huge lift for them to have [13] points in the first half. This is a guy who scored a lot of points in New York.

“I think what he did tonight was probably what they had in mind when they made the deal [with the Knicks]. I guess for whatever reason he hadn’t played much for them, but in an absolutely huge game, he stepped up and played great tonight.’’