Knicks Rumors

Knicks Sign Chasson Randle

AUGUST 4: The Knicks have officially signed Randle, the team announced today (via Twitter).

AUGUST 3: The Knicks are bringing another former undrafted free agent to training camp this fall, according to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News, who reports (via Twitter) that point guard Chasson Randle has signed a contract with the team. The deal includes a partial guarantee, says Isola.

New York, having previously signed Marshall Plumlee to a three-year contract, also formally announced a deal with Ron Baker this week — those two players went undrafted this year, while Randle went undrafted in 2015. The Knicks also signed 2015 second-rounder J.P. Tokoto on Tuesday to compete for a regular-season roster spot.

[RELATED: Knicks’ free agent signings, via our Free Agent Tracker]

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported last month that the Knicks were one of three teams pursuing Randle, who made a favorable impression on the club’s brass while playing for New York’s Summer League squad. The Knicks have used their cap room and nearly all of their room exception, so it will be a minimum-salary deal for Randle.

In his final year at Stanford in 2014/15, Randle averaged 19.6 points per contest, chipping in 3.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, and 2.4 3PG.

Randle Has Shot To Make Roster

  • Chasson Randle, who agreed to a partially guaranteed deal with the Knicks earlier today, has a good shot to stick as the team’s third point guard, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. Despite New York being thin in the backcourt, the young guard isn’t taking this opportunity for granted, the scribe adds. “He’s still got to come in and earn it,” Randle’s agent, Kevin Bradbury, told Berman. “He feels this is the place where he can make the next step.
  • The Knicks‘ offseason moves were geared about winning immediately, not with an eye on the future, Ian Begley of ESPN.com opines in his look back at the team’s summer. The scribe notes that the team has depth concerns and lacks the outside shooters necessary to maximize coach Jeff Hornacek‘s system, but adds that the squad’s defense and pace of play should be much improved over last season.
  • Want to see where the Atlantic Division teams stand roster-wise? Check out the complete breakdowns along with depth charts at Roster Resource for the Nets, Celtics, Knicks, Sixers and Raptors.

Free Agent Spending By Division: Atlantic

Over the course of this week, we’ve been breaking down 2016 NBA free agent spending by division, examining which teams – and divisions – were the most active this July.

These divisional breakdowns won’t present a full picture of teams’ offseason spending. Some notable free agents, including LeBron James, remain unsigned, so there’s still money out there to be spent. Our lists also don’t include money spent on this year’s first- and second-round picks or draft-and-stash signings. There are a few free agent names missing in some instances as well, since those deals aren’t yet official or terms haven’t been reported.

Still, these closer looks at divisional spending should generally reveal how teams invested their money in free agency this summer, identifying which clubs went all-out and which ones played it safe.

With the help of our Free Agent Tracker and contract info from Basketball Insiders, we’ll focus today on the Atlantic division. Let’s dive in…

1. New York Knicks

  • Total money committed: $164,387,929
  • Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $153,474,723
  • Largest expenditure: Joakim Noah (four years, $72,590,000)
  • Other notable signings:
  • Notes:
    • Sasha Vujacic will earn a $1,410,598 salary, but the Knicks will be on the hook for just $980,431 of that total, with the NBA picking up the rest of the bill.
    • The exact terms of reported deals for Chasson Randle and J.P. Tokoto aren’t yet known, so they haven’t been included here.
    • The Knicks also signed Willy Hernangomez, but he was a draft-and-stash player, rather than a free agent, so his deal isn’t included here.
    • The fourth year of Thomas’ deal, worth $7,583,975, is fully non-guaranteed, contributing significantly to the gap between the team’s total money and guaranteed money committed.

2. Toronto Raptors

  • Total money committed: $146,025,440
  • Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $143,228,000
  • Largest expenditure: DeMar DeRozan (five years, $137,500,000)
  • Other notable signings:
  • Notes:
    • The Raptors were one of just three teams that didn’t go under the cap this summer, so their free-agent expenditures came using Bird rights (DeRozan), the mid-level exception (Sullinger), and the minimum-salary exception (other signees).

3. Boston Celtics

  • Total money committed: $130,306,661
  • Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $122,306,661
  • Largest expenditure: Al Horford (four years, $113,326,230)
  • Other notable signings:
  • Notes:
    • Gerald Green will earn a $1,410,598 salary, but the Celtics will be on the hook for just $980,431 of that total, with the NBA picking up the rest of the bill.
    • The second year of Zeller’s deal, worth $8MM, is fully non-guaranteed, creating the gap between the team’s total money and guaranteed money committed.

4. Brooklyn Nets

  • Total money committed: $78,488,356
  • Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $74,963,953
  • Largest expenditure: Jeremy Lin (three years, $36,000,000)
  • Other notable signings:
  • Notes:
    • If offer sheets for Allen Crabbe ($74MM+) and Tyler Johnson ($50MM) hadn’t been matched by the Blazers and Heat, respectively, the Nets likely would have been the Atlantic’s highest-spending team.
    • Anthony Bennett, Joe Harris, Beau Beech, Yogi Ferrell, and Egidijus Mockevicius all have contracts that include some non-guaranteed money.

5. Philadelphia 76ers

  • Total money committed: $57,346,160
  • Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $44,220,000
  • Largest expenditure: Jerryd Bayless (three years, $27,000,000)
  • Other notable signings:
  • Notes:
    • The totals above don’t include the Sixers’ previously-reported agreement with Cat Barber, which has not been made official.
    • The Sixers also signed Dario Saric, but he was a draft-and-stash player, rather than a free agent, so his deal isn’t included here.
    • The second year of Henderson’s deal, worth $9MM, is fully non-guaranteed, contributing significantly to the gap between the team’s total money and guaranteed money committed.

Previously:
Southwest
Southeast
Northwest

Knicks Sign J.P. Tokoto

A day after announcing the signing of undrafted free agent Ron Baker, the Knicks have added another player to their offseason roster, confirming (via Twitter) that they’ve finalized a contract for shooting guard J.P. Tokoto. Details of the agreement aren’t known, but it’s likely a training camp deal with a partial guarantee, as Ian Begley of ESPN.com tweets.

Tokoto, who will turn 23 next month, was a second-round pick in 2015, coming off the board at No. 58. He spent last offseason with the Sixers, but was ultimately cut before the regular season began, and landed in the D-League with the Oklahoma City Blue. The former Tar Heel appeared in 48 D-League contests (25 starts), averaging 11.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 1.5 SPG, while shooting 46.0% from the floor. Tokoto also played for the Knicks in Summer League action last month.

A busy offseason has left the Knicks with 14 players on fully guaranteed contracts for the 2016/17 season, with Baker and likely Tokoto receiving partial guarantees. Assuming the team heads into the regular season carrying the maximum 15 players and doesn’t waive a guaranteed salary, Tokoto, Baker, and others should have the opportunity to vie for the one open roster spot.

The Knicks’ roster and depth chart can be found right here.

Knicks Sign Ron Baker

AUGUST 1: More than a month after agreeing to terms with Baker, the Knicks formally announced today that the deal is official (Twitter link).

JUNE 24: The Knicks didn’t have a pick in Thursday’s draft, but the team didn’t waste much time in securing at least one prospect from this year’s class. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter), New York agreed to a partially-guaranteed, one-year deal with Wichita State’s Ron Baker.

Baker ranked as a top-20 senior in this year’s class and a top-80 prospect overall, per DraftExpress.com. The 23-year-old wing wasn’t drafted on Thursday night, despite a solid senior season that saw him average 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game for the Shockers.

Baker’s contract will likely be a minimum-salary pact, so even if he receives a decent guarantee in terms of salary, that won’t necessarily guarantee him a roster spot in New York this fall.

Still, the Knicks’ roster is currently fairly barren, with only five players under contract before Baker signs, as the team’s depth chart at Roster Resource shows. The roster will obviously fill up in July, but Baker should be in good position to vie for a place on the regular-season roster.

Amar’e Stoudemire Received NBA Offers

Amar’e Stoudemire‘s decision to join Hapoel Jerusalem isn’t about “collecting a paycheck overseas,” the veteran big man writes in a piece for The Players’ Tribune. According to Stoudemire, the two-year deal he has signed with one of the top teams in Europe will be part of a “spiritual journey” for him.

“The Scripture speaks about Jerusalem as a holy place, and I can feel that whenever I’m in the city,” Stoudemire writes. “This is a chance for me to be a better husband and a better father, to help me lead my family into righteousness. The opportunity to play there, and grow as a player and person, is a blessing.”

We passed along the news of Stoudemire following up his NBA retirement by inking a deal in Israel in an earlier post, but when the longtime Sun and Knick made it official today, a few more details trickled out, so let’s round those up below…

  • According to Stoudemire’s agent, Happy Walters, his client received several offers from NBA teams this offseason, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN.com. However, those offers came from non-playoff teams, which didn’t interest Stoudemire.
  • Walters also clarified that he and Stoudemire didn’t ask the Suns about the sort of one-day contract that the 33-year-old signed with the Knicks when he announced his retirement (Twitter link via Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic). Reports had indicated that Stoudemire would have liked to return to Phoenix, but it sounded like he’d wanted to actually play one last year for the Suns — not simply sign a ceremonial contract with the team as he retired.
  • Stoudemire’s contract in Israel won’t allow him to join an NBA team in the spring, as Frank Isola of The New York Daily News tweets. That’s no surprise for 2017, since it’s a two-year contract, but it’s not clear if Isola is referring to 2018 as well.
  • As part of the agreement that will see him become a player for Hapoel Jersualem, Stoudemire is selling his minority stake in the team to majority owner Ori Allon, per Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter link).

Melo Surprised Wade Switched Teams, Pleased With Knicks's Moves

Like many around the NBA, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony was taken by surprise that Dwyane Wade left the Heat to join the Bulls this offfseason, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes. “I was shocked,” Anthony said. “I was shocked more from a standpoint it was just hard to see. It’s hard to see some players in different uniforms and he’s one of those guys who I never thought I would see in a different uniform other than Miami. But it happened, and I got a chance to talk to him and sit down with him and really dig deep about his feelings and what happened. He’s at peace now. And when he’s at peace, I’m at peace with it.”

Melo also took the time to express his happiness at the Knicks’ new-look roster, Friedell adds. “We love them,” Anthony said. “We love those additions. And we’re looking forward to getting the season going. And I think everybody is excited, the excitement is back. Right now there’s an adjustment on paper, but of course we have some work to do putting it all together, making it work. But we’re going to ride the wave of this excitement right now.”

Amar’e Stoudemire Announces Retirement

NBA: Preseason-Charlotte Hornets at Miami HeatAmar’e Stoudemire has decided to call it a career, announcing his retirement today after signing a ceremonial contract with the Knicks, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).

“I want to thank Mr. Dolan, Phil [Jackson] and Steve [Mills] for signing me so that I can officially retire as a New York Knick,” Stoudemire said in a statement. “I came to New York in 2010 to help revitalize this franchise and we did just that. Carmelo [Anthony], Phil and Steve have continued this quest, and with this year’s acquisitions, the team looks playoff-bound once again. Although my career has taken me to other places around the country, my heart has always remained in the Big Apple. Once a Knick, Always a Knick.”

The 33-year-old was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, entering the league fresh out of high school. He appeared in 846 regular season games in his career, averaging 18.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per contest and shooting .537/.236/.761 from the field. Stoudemire likely expected to play more than he did with Miami in 2015/16, appearing in just 52 games and logging 5.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per outing on the campaign.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eastern Notes: Ainge, Kuzminskas, George, Scola

President of basketball operations Danny Ainge was able to quickly rebuild the Celtics by maximizing the return for his stars when the team got too old, writes Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. Ainge sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets for a package of draft picks and traded Rajon Rondo to the Mavericks instead of letting him become a free agent. This summer’s signing of Al Horford accelerated the building process, and Hamilton believes it makes the Celtics legitimate contenders in the East. Boston is also set up well for the future, with only Horford, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and Isaiah Thomas under contract for 2017/18. Even if the Celtics pick up their team option on Marcus Smart, they may have more than $50MM to spend on free agents next July.

There’s more out of the Eastern Conference:

  • Mindaugas Kuzminskas provides enough offense to become a rotation player for the Knicks, according to Trevor Magnotti of Upside and Motor. The 6’9″ Lithuanian forward signed with New York earlier this month after playing in Europe for the past five seasons. Knicks president Phil Jackson said the team wanted to find a mobile small forward who could shoot from distance. That describes Kuzminskas, who gets most of his points on cuts to the basket, but is also a streaky shooter from 3-point range. However, there are questions about his defense, which Magnotti warns might limit his playing time until he proves he can contribute on that end.
  • Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski says Paul George is playing the best basketball of his life two years after the broken leg that had many concerned about his career, writes Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. The Pacers‘ star, who had 18 points in Friday’s exhibition win over Argentina, said he had to put that scary incident out of his mind to be effective again. “It’s behind me,” George said. “I don’t play the game expecting to get hurt. I know it’s a possibility. But there’s no thought in my mind I’m going to get hurt. I play this game because I love it. I just play hard.”
  • Newly signed Nets power forward Luis Scola will be Argentina’s flag bearer at the Summer Olympics, according to the Associated Press. “I had the chance to play four Olympics, to play 10 years in the NBA, to carry the flag for my country, win an Olympic gold medal,’’ Scola said. “I mean, different things that happened along those days that I couldn’t even dream of those because it would be too wild to dream.”