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Knicks sign Jason Kidd

New York Knickerbockers Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has signed 10-time NBA All-Star free agent guard Jason Kidd. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Adding a veteran NBA All-Star to our already established team was an opportunity we could not pass up,” Grunwald said. “He has had a prolific career, with plenty of good basketball still ahead of him. Jason is a tremendous competitor and one of the best leaders the game has ever seen.”

“I am absolutely thrilled that we were able to add Jason Kidd to our roster,” Head Coach Mike Woodson said. “I consider him to be a great professional that will help our team both on and off the court.”

Kidd, 6-4, 212-pounds, holds career averages of 13.0 points, 9.0 assists. 6.4 rebounds and 1.95 steals over 36.6 minutes in 1,315 games (1.302 starts) over 18 seasons with Dallas, Phoenix and New Jersey. He appeared in 146 postseason games (all starts), averaging 13.9 points, 8.5 assists, 7.0 rebounds and 1.99 steals over 40.0 minutes. He led the Dallas Mavericks, along with teammate and current Knicks center Tyson Chandler, to the 2011 NBA Championship and won Gold Medals at the 2000 and 2008 Summer Olympics games in Sydney and Beijing, respectively. As a member of the New Jersey Nets, Kidd appeared in back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.

Kidd ranks second in NBA history in total assists (11,842) and total steals (2,559), third in three pointers (1,874) and eighth in assists per game (9.0). He is a 10-time All-Star (1996, 1998, 2000-04, 2007-08, 2010), including five starts (1996, 2000-02, 2008), a five-time All-NBA First-Team selection (1999-02, 2004) and earned All-NBA Second Team honors in 2003. He was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team four times (1999, 2001, 2002, 2006) and Second Team five times (2000, 2003-05, 2007) and was the 1995 Co-Rookie of the Year.

The San Francisco, CA-native, averaged 6.2 points, 5.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.71 steals over 28.7 minutes in 48 games (all starts) with Dallas during 2011-12. He was originally selected by Dallas following his sophomore season at the University of California in the first round (second overall pick) of the 1994 NBA Draft.

Clippers sign Jamal Crawford

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent guard Jamal Crawford. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

A 12-year NBA veteran, Crawford tallied 13.9 points, 3.2 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 26.9 minutes in 60 games played for the Portland Trail Blazers last season. Crawford also connected on 38 percent of his field goals, 31 percent of his three-point field goal attempts and 93 percent of his free throws on the year. Crawford finished the season ranked first in the NBA in free throw percentage.

Named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2009-10 while with the Atlanta Hawks, Crawford has averaged 15.3 points, 3.9 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 31.8 minutes over his career. He turned out his most productive NBA season in 2007-08 while with the New York Knicks, tallying 20.6 points, 5.0 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 39.9 minutes in 80 games played.

The eighth overall selection in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Crawford was part of a draft day trade that sent him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for the draft rights to Chris Mihm. After four seasons in Chicago, Crawford was traded to the New York Knicks, where he remained until being traded to the Golden State Warriors in 2008. Crawford was traded to the Atlanta Hawks prior to the start of the 2009 season, remaining there until signing with Portland as a free agent prior to the start of last season.

Raptors sign Landry Fields to offer sheet

The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday they have signed New York Knicks restricted free-agent guard-forward Landry Fields to an offer sheet. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed.

Under the terms of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, New York will have until Saturday to match the Raptors’ offer.

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 J.R. Smith

New York Knicks Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has re-signed guard J.R. Smith. We’ll post contract details later today on this page.

Smith, 6-6, 220-pounds, averaged 12.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.54 steals over 27.6 minutes in 35 regular-season games (one start) with the Knicks last season. In five postseason games, he averaged 12.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.20 steals over 35.0 minutes. He originally signed with New York as a free agent on Feb. 17. The Freehold, NJ-native holds career averages of 12.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists over 24.2 minutes in 538 games (130 starts) over eight seasons with New Orleans/Oklahoma City, Denver and New York. He was selected out of high school by the New Orleans Hornets in the first round (18th overall) of the 2004 NBA Draft.

New York Knicks sign James White

New York Knicks Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has signed free agent guard/forward James White to a contract. We’ll post contract details on this page later today.

White, 6-7, 200-pounds, spent the past three seasons playing overseas for St. Petersburg (Russia), Sassari (Italy) and Pesaro (Italy). He posted 17.4 points, on 52.1-percent shooting, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists over 33.6 minutes in 30 games with Pesaro of the Italian A League during 2011-12, and averaged 21.0 points, on 54.1-percent shooting, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists over 35.8 minutes in 30 regular season games with Sassari in 2010-11.

As an NBA professional, White appeared in 10 games (two starts) with San Antonio (2006-07) and Houston (2008-09). He has also played for Austin (2006-07) and Anaheim (2008-09) of the NBA Development League.

The Kensington, MD-native, was originally selected by Portland in the second round (31st overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft. He played three seasons at the University of Cincinnati, after transferring from the University of Florida. In his senior season for the Bearcats, White averaged 16.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists over 33.5 minutes in 33 games.

Hakeem Olajuwon will train Knicks big men

Mike Woodson is trying to get Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon to work with the Knicks’ big men.

Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler are supposed to train with Olajuwon later this offseason. Woodson has said he wanted Stoudemire and Chandler to improve their game in the post. Olajuwon, one of the best centers in NBA history, is known for his footwork and array of moves under the basket.

Olajuwon, whose nickname is “The Dream,” worked with LeBron James last year and the Heat superstar forward showed some of his improved post skills throughout Miami’s run to the NBA championship.

— Reported by Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday

J.R. Smith, Steve Novak staying with Knicks

The 3-point bombers will be back on Broadway.

Eight hours after shooting ace Steve Novak agreed to return to the Knicks on a four-year, $15 million contract, high-scoring sub J.R. Smith stopped fielding offers and accepted the standing proposal of a two-year deal starting at $2.8 million in the first season with a player option for the second. The deal is the maximum the Knicks were able to offer Smith — who may become the starting shooting guard if the Knicks decide not to match the $19 million offer sheet the Raptors extended to Landry Fields — under the rules of the CBA.

Smith’s agency CAA released a statement late last night on Smith’s behalf: “I just felt that, despite my other options, New York is the best situation for me. Coach Woodson showed a lot of faith and trust in me last season, as did Mr. Dolan and the organization. My teammates are great to play with and the New York fans are the best!”

Novak’s package was made possible by the union’s victory over the NBA in the early-Bird exception rights arbitration case.

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

Heat and Knicks want Marcus Camby

Highly sought-after unrestricted free agent big man Marcus Camby postponed his meeting with the Miami Heat on Saturday, according to a source with knowledge of his plans.

It was done to allow the team to work on a potential sign-and-trade with the Houston Rockets, but the Rockets aren’t currently interested in dealing with the Heat.

The Rockets, according to sources, are more interested in a sign-and-trade with the New York Knicks. Sources told ESPN.com that the Knicks have had discussions with the Rockets about Camby, as well as the Dallas Mavericks about a sign-and-trade for free agent Jason Kidd, who agreed to join the Knicks earlier this week.

The Knicks are hoping to make a sign-and-trade deal for one of them and use their $3.09 million mid-level exception to sign the other.

A source close to Camby would be “shocked” if he signs anywhere for the veteran’s minimum of $1.4 million, which is what the Heat only have available after Ray Allen agreed to their mid-level exception of $3.09 million on Friday.

— Reported by Jared Zwerling and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com

Jason Kidd to sign with Knicks

In an unforeseen reversal, Jason Kidd has decided to leave the Dallas Mavericks to join the New York Knicks.

“I think I can help,” Kidd told ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher, adding he felt the Knicks have more “pieces to work with.”

With the Mavericks confident they were closing in Thursday on a verbal agreement on a three-year deal with Kidd worth $9 million, sources told ESPN.com that Kidd — after all-day deliberations with both teams — has decided instead to leave Dallas to join the Knicks for a similar deal.

— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com

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Nets sell 500 season tickets on Tuesday, before D-Will decision

Even before Deron Williams announced his decision on Twitter early Tuesday evening, the Nets had put together a terrific day at the box office.

“We sold approximately 500 full season seats today, and obviously it was a seven figure day for us in revenue,” Nets CEO Brett Yormark said shortly before Williams made his announcement. “It’s a great day. The fans in Brooklyn are excited about the possibilities.

“I think we are hitting our stride now, and I would hope this momentum will continue, and I anticipate it will.”

Tuesday’s success, both at the box office and with the signing of Williams, continues what has been an impressive run since the team officially was unveiled as the Brooklyn Nets within the shadow of their new arena, Barclays Center, on April 30.

— Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post (Blog)