New York Knicks Blog – Page 91 – NBA Blog

Raymond Felton discusses being a competitor

Raymond Felton says he is a competitor, and better than Jeremy Lin

Raymond Felton plans on making Knicks fans forget all about Linsanity.

Moments after Jeremy Lin was being introduced by the Rockets in Houston, Felton was in Las Vegas talking with the MSG Network during a Knicks Summer League game.

“I am a competitor, I am a point guard just like he is, so do I think I am better? Of course, I am going to say that,” Felton said. “I think I am better than any point guard. That’s the way I am supposed to think. But at the same time it’s nothing personal between me and Jeremy. But people are going to make it about that. I am fine with that.”

Felton, who was traded from the Knicks to the Nuggets in the Carmelo Anthony trade, is expected to be the team’s starting point guard after coming over from Portland in a sign-and-trade. The 28-year-old seemed to be out of the Knicks plans after they acquired Jason Kidd in another sign-and-trade, but Felton said he was always in the mix to return even if the team matched Lin’s offer sheet from the Rockets. Something they ultimately decided not to do.

— Reported by Justin Terranova of the New York Post (Blog)

Jeremy Lin says he wanted to stay with Knicks

Jeremy Lin said Wednesday that while he “preferred New York” over Houston, and wanted to play in front of Knick fans “for the rest of my career,” he is now relieved to be joining the Rockets.

Lin told SI.com’s Pablo Torre, a former Harvard classmate, that Knicks GM Glen Grunwald contacted him at 11 p.m. EST on Tuesday night to inform the second-year point guard that the club would not match the $25.1 million offer sheet Lin signed with Houston.

According to Lin, Grunwald said: “We wanted to keep you, but it couldn’t work out. Tell your family I say hello, and good luck the rest of the way.”

Lin then thanked Grunwald and wish him “best of luck in the future.”

“Honestly, I preferred New York,” Lin told Torre. “But my main goal in free agency was to go to a team that had plans for me and wanted me. I wanted to have fun playing basketball. … Now I’m definitely relieved.”

— Reported by Frank Isola of the New York Daily News

Jeremy Lin statement on joining Rockets, leaving Knicks

Here is a statement from Jeremy Lin, who signed an offer sheet with the Houston Rockets that the New York Knicks, presumably over financial concerns due to the structure of the contract, declined to match:

“I loved this past year with the Knicks and truly appreciate the opportunity that New York gave me. The way the fans fully embraced me and our team was something I’ll always cherish forever. It was an extraordinary and unforgettable time that was easily the best year of my life. Now I am excited to be back with the Rockets. They made a very compelling pitch in terms of what I could bring to the team and for the city. I am also impressed with Mr. Alexander and the management’s commitment to improving the team. I’m excited about contributing to the Rockets winning tradition and competing with my new teammates.”

Rockets officially sign Jeremy Lin

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed guard Jeremy Lin after the New York Knicks chose not to match Houston’s offer sheet for the restricted free agent. Under the terms of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Knicks had three days to match the offer from the Rockets.

“We are thrilled to have Jeremy back as part of the Rockets family,” said Rockets Owner Leslie Alexander. “In his limited opportunity last season, Jeremy showed that he has all the skills to be a great player in this league for many years to come. In addition to being a great passer, he is also exceptional at driving to the rim and finishing plays. He also showed a poise well beyond his years by making winning plays at the end of numerous games last season. Jeremy is a winner on and off the court and we view him as an important part of our plan to build a championship contender.”

Lin (6-3, 200, Harvard) has averaged 9.2 points, 4.0 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.38 steals in 64 games (25 starts) with Golden State and New York. After being claimed by the Knicks off waivers on Dec. 27, 2011, Lin exploded onto the NBA landscape by averaging 18.2 points, 7.6 assists and 2.00 steals with seven double-doubles in 25 starts with New York. Lin actually became the first NBA player to record at least 20 points and seven assists in each of his first five NBA starts since Elias Sports Bureau began charting stats in 1970. Lin was also the first Knicks player since Michael Ray Richardson in 1980-1981 to record at least 20 points and seven assists in six straight games. Lin was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Feb. 6-12, leading New York to a 4-0 record with averages of 27.3 points, 8.3 assists and 2.00 steals.

Lin, who was waived by Golden State on Dec. 9, 2011, was actually claimed off waivers by Houston on Dec. 12. He appeared in two preseason outings with the Rockets before being waived on Dec. 24, 2011. Lin had appeared in 29 games with the Warriors in 2010-11, averaging 2.6 points, 1.4 assists, 1.2 rebounds and 1.14 steals in 9.8 minutes per contest as a rookie. He also played in 20 games for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA D-League in 2010-11, averaging 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists. The 6-3 guard was originally signed by Golden State as a free agent on July 21, 2010, after going undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft out of Harvard.

Blazers sign-and-trade Raymond Felton to Knicks

New York Knicks Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has re-acquired guard Raymond Felton, via sign-and trade, and forward/center Kurt Thomas from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for forward Jared Jeffries, via sign-and-trade, center Dan Gadzuric, the draft rights to Kostas Papanikolaou and Giorgos Printezis and a protected future second-round draft pick.

Felton, 6-1, 205-pounds, averaged 11.4 points, 6.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.30 steals over 31.8 minutes in 60 games (56 starts) with the Trail Blazers last season. Originally selected by the Bobcats, following his junior season at the University of North Carolina, with the fifth overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, the seven-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 13.4 points and 6.7 assists over 534 games with Charlotte, New York, Denver and Portland. During the 2010-11 season, Felton started all 54 games he appeared in for the Knicks to average 17.1 points and 9.0 assists over 38.4 minutes, before a trade sent him to the Nuggets on Feb. 22, 2011.

Thomas, 6-9, 235-pounds, averaged 3.0 points and 3.5 rebounds over 15.2 minutes in 53 games for the Trail Blazers last season. Originally selected by the Heat, out of Texas Christian University, with the 10th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, the 17-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds over 1,071 games with Miami, Dallas, New York, Phoenix, Seattle, San Antonio, Milwaukee, Chicago and Portland.

For seven seasons from 1998-2005, Thomas donned the blue and orange and was a key contributor to the Knicks’ 1999 Eastern Conference Championship. He currently ranks 19th on the franchise’s all-time scoring list, eighth in rebounds, fourth in blocked shots and 11th in point-rebound double-doubles, and is one of only 17 players to have appeared in at least 500 games for New York.

Gadzuric, 6-11, 240-pounds, played 13 total minutes in two games for the Knicks last season after signing as a free agent on Apr. 20. The 10-year NBA veteran averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds over 527 career games for Milwaukee, Golden State, New Jersey and New York.

Jeffries, 6-11, 240-pounds, averaged 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 39 games for the Knicks last season. The 10-year NBA veteran averaged 5.0 points and 4.2 rebounds over 591 career games for Washington, New York and Houston.

Knicks sign forward Chris Copeland

New York Knicks Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has signed free agent forward Chris Copeland to a contract. It’s probably a non-guaranteed deal that does not mean he’s sure to make the regular season roster.

Copeland, 6-8, 224 pounds, has played the past five seasons in Belgium, Germany and Spain and appeared in 19 games for Fort Wayne of the NBA D-League in 2006-07. The Orange, NJ native played four years at the University of Colorado and averaged 12.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 30 games during his senior season in 2005-06. He is currently representing the Knicks entry at the 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Landry Fields will likely start for Raptors

Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo said new acquisition Landry Fields probably will start and will be a key piece, even if he had to overpay. Fields received a 3-year, $19 million package the Knicks declined to match. Colangelo acknowledged the offer sheet also was designed to break up the Knicks’ sign-and-trade proposal to Phoenix for Steve Nash. Neither team got Nash, who landed with the Lakers.

“We value Landry in a way we thought it was reflected in the offer,’’ Colangelo said at the Las Vegas summer league. “We think he’ll make a solid contribution. His defensive mentality, his athleticism, he’s got a high basketball IQ. All those things add up to something of value to us.

“Obviously in free agency you tend to pay a little more and restricted free agency a little more than that. Regardless, we needed a player who’s going to make valuable contributions.’’

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

Jason Kidd arrested on drunken-driving charge

Newly signed New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd has been arrested on a drunken-driving charge after police said he crashed an SUV into a telephone pole in the Hamptons.

Southampton Town police say Kidd was released without bail after being arraigned Sunday on a misdemeanor driving-while-intoxicated charge. Police say Kidd was treated at Southampton Hospital for minor injuries after his arrest.

His agent hasn’t immediately answered phone or email messages.

Police say Kidd was alone in the Cadillac Escalade when it hit a pole and veered into the woods around 2 a.m. Sunday in the hamlet of Water Mill.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Knicks decline to match offer; Raptors sign Landry Fields

The Toronto Raptors announced Sunday they have signed guard-forward Landry Fields after the New York Knicks chose to not match Toronto’s offer sheet for the restricted free agent.

The Raptors signed Fields to an offer sheet Wednesday. Under the terms of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, beginning Thursday the Knicks had three days to match the Raptors’ offer.

According to multiple reports, the deal is for three years, $19 million.

Fields, 6-foot-7, 215 pounds, has averaged 9.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 30 minutes in 148 games. He has appeared in every contest the past two seasons, making 143 starts.

Fields was a 2010-11 T-Mobile All-Rookie First Team selection and twice named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month (November and December 2010). He paced the Knicks in rebounding 22 times, and set a franchise rookie-record making 86 three-pointers. He had two 20-plus scoring games and 11 double-doubles. He scored a career-high 25 points versus Philadelphia on February 6, 2011 and recorded a career-best 17 rebounds on November 16, 2010 at Denver.

Fields scored in double figures in 25 outings last season, with a high of 21 at Sacramento on December 31. He posted double-digit scoring efforts in nine of 10 games from January 18 – February 3, averaging 13.6 points. He also contributed seven games with at least three steals,

A native of Southern California, Fields was an All-Pac-10 First Team selection as a senior at Stanford in 2009-10, with averages of 22.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 36.3 minutes in 32 games (all starts).

Knicks re-sign Steve Novak

New York Knickerbockers Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has re-signed forward Steve Novak. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Novak, 6-10, 240-pounds, averaged 8.8 points, on 47.8-percent shooting from the field (161-337) and 47.2-percent (133-282) from downtown, over 18.9 minutes in 54 games off the bench after being claimed off waivers on Dec. 21. He led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage (.472), becoming just the second Knick to accomplish the feat (Campy Russell, 1981-82). His three-point prowess included eight games with three triples, eight games of four treys, six five-triple games and a career-best eight three pointers during an Apr. 17 win versus Boston. The Milwaukee, WI native was originally selected by Houston in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft following a four-year career at Marquette University.