Knicks Preparing Offer For Elton Brand

10:45am: While Brand is interested in the Knicks, he also has a strong interest in returning to the Mavs, who remain fond of him, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein.

10:33am: Although there's definitely mutual interest between Brand and the Knicks, no deal is imminent, tweets Howard Beck of the New York Times, adding that Brand is fielding offers from several contenders.

10:15am: The Knicks are preparing to make a contract offer to power forward Elton Brand, reports Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). According to Zwerling, mutual interest is "high" between the Knicks and Brand, who is interested in joining a winning team.

Brand, 34, is coming off a mammoth five-year deal that paid him in excess of $18MM in 2012/13, but will be in line for a significant pay cut this summer. If he signs with the Knicks, he'd only be able to sign for the veteran's minimum or a portion of the team's mini mid-level exception ($3.18MM).

After reaching an agreement to acquire Andrea Bargnani, the Knicks will add a stretch four to a frontcourt that also includes Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler. With Marcus Camby heading to Toronto though, and Kenyon Martin and Kurt Thomas on the open market, New York will likely to be looking to add a tough inside presence or two to complement its current lineup.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported over the weekend that Brand was on the Knicks' radar.

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