News – Page 7 – NEW YORK KNICKS LOYALIST

3-and-D! Knicks Sign Courtney Lee to 4 Year, $48 Million Deal

The starting lineup is complete. Eight year guard Courtney Lee has signed four year, $48 million contract with the New York Knicks.

Word broke earlier this weekend about the Knicks’ offer. A confidential source told ESPN that Lee mulled the offer before speaking with the team’s othrt new signee — Joakim Noah.

[It] would not have happened without Joakim Noah. Courtney understands what playing for the New York Knicks means. He wanted to play in New York and Joakim Noah was instrumental recruiting him. Would not have happened without Joakim. Courtney couldn’t be more excited.

Lee started last season with the Memphsi Grizzlies before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets. He played in 79 games (started 65), averaging 9.5 points (45% FG, 38% 3P%), 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

This could be our sleeper free agent signing of the summer. With D-Rose’s penetration ability and the double teams that will come Melo and (to a lesser extent) Porzingis’ way, Lee will be get a lot of open looks from three-point range. Another plus is Lee’s playoff experience (including a Finals trip with Orlando in 2009) means he’s not one to shy away from the big shot.

But even more important than Lee’s offense is his ability to shut down opposing players. Too often in recent years, the Knicks have gotten killed on the perimeter due to our slow guards. Lee, as recently as this year’s playoffs, showed how underrated and important his defense can be in the fourth quarter.

And Lee is not injury prone! If our starting five stays healthy, I like our chances to make noise in 2017. Now let’s hop Phil can work some magic filling out this bench.

[Photo] Welcome Home – Joakim Noah Confirms Knicks Deal on IG

Joakim Noah is coming home. The New York native and career Chicago Bull confirmed his new deal with the New York Knicks by posting the above picture on Instagram.

Noah’s contract is a four year deal totaling $70-72 million.

Noah had his best year in 2014 when he won Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 13 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Noah is coming off an injury plagued 2016 season where he played 29 games and struggled to find a role under new Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg. He posted a career low scoring average (4 points).

Yesterday, I was very leering on the Knicks paying $18 million a year for Noah, especially with the horrible season he had last year. But today (July 1), I had a chance to look at the ridiculous deals a lot of players have gotten already in this free agency process. From that perspective, Noah’s deal isn’t that bad at all. Now, this could certainly be a disaster if Noah can’t stay healthy. But if he’s reinvigorated in his hometown, his passing and defense paired with Porzingis and Melo’s scoring gives us a tremendous frontcourt presence.

[Video] Derrick Rose Tells Bulls “Thank You” for Trade, Wants to Finish Career in NY

Derrick Rose met the New York media for the first time today and officially began his tenure as a New York Knick. True to his personality, Rose was very candid about his thoughts on the trade and want he plans to accomplish going forward.

“I hope I can play the rest of my career here, but I understand this is a business,” said Rose, who’s in the last year of his contract. “We’ll see how this one year goes, but I’m putting my all into this. I’ve been working my butt off.”

Undoubtedly, the comment that will get the most airtime is Rose’s thoughts on why the Bulls traded him.

You can watch the full media day below.

https://youtu.be/bc7ojvX1gvo

Knicks Pick Up Derrick Rose in Surprise Trade

Phil Jackson didn’t waste any time securing the first big trade of the NBA off-season by acquiring former MVP Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Jose Calderon, Robin Lopez and Jerian Grant.

According to league sources, the Bulls will also send guard Justin Holiday and a 2017 second round pick to the Knicks.

The 27 year old Rose has been plagued by severe knee injuries since his 2010 MVP season. He underwent surgery for an ACL tear on his left knee in 2012. In 2013, Rose suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee that required season-ending surgery. Last season, he averaged 16 points (42% FG) and 5 assists over 66 games.

I won’t act like I’m absolutely thrilled by this move, but I’m not mad at it either. Since the season ended, the Knicks front office has made it clear they want to contend over tanking. New coach Jeff Hornacek also made it clear that we needed an upgrade over Calderon at point guard.

So the options were to overpay Mike Conley to a max contract, or pay less but gamble more with a combustible character in Rajon Rondo. In Rose, we get a player that will be motivated in a contract year. Should Rose fail, he’s off the books next year and we have max money available to go after a franchise player like Russell Westbrook.

Make no mistake, it’s still a question mark if Rose stays healthy. And I’m sad we had to give up one of last season’s best contributors (Robin Lopez) and a promising young talent (Grant) to make this happen.

For now, does this look like a competent Big Three to you?

Melo and Ninja Turtles Team Up for Comic Book

Carmelo Anthony is expanding his partnership with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle brand with the release of a limited edition comic book. You can find participating stores at http://www.comicshoplocator.com. Melo and the turtles previously linked up for an exclusive Macy’s clothing line.

Any chance one of the Turtles can run point guard for us next season?

[Video] Hornacek Wants More Shooters Around Melo and Porzingis

Having missed the playoffs three straight years, new Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek has much to address this off-season. In a quick interview with the New York Knicks YouTube page, he revealed that his primary concern is adding capable shooters around frontcourt stars Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis.

Our starting backcourt shot a respectable percentage from three this season (Afflalo 38%, Calderon 41%), but the big problem was neither could consistently get their own shot and put the ball on the floor (Afflalo’s brief flashes of competency aside).

Sounds like Hornacek is like us in hoping Phil can put together a free agency miracle.

[Video] Fat Joe Names Anthony Mason as Knicks Player from B.I.G.’s “I Got a Story to Tell”

A Hip-Hop mystery has finally been solved. From the moment The Notorious B.I.G.’s posthumous Life After Death hit stores in March 1997, fans have been vexed by the anonymous Knicks player that was robbed and cuckolded by his woman on the narrative classic “I Got a Story to Tell.” A few years back on ESPN’s Highly Questionable, former Knick John Starks confirmed the story was based in truth but declined to name the “victim.” Today, Fat Joe reveals the name as none other than Knicks enforcer Anthony Mason.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Mase, he was one of the toughest players in the 90s and built like a tank. For some, it’s hard to imagine him getting played like this, but someone having the drop of you with a gun is a great equalizer. Another thing to keep in mind, as Joe mentions, is rappers embellish everything to the extreme. What could have been Biggie running out the back door could easily morph into the more entertaining cheating turned stickup fiasco.

Whatever happened, credit to Biggie for displaying his greatness and turning it into a classic and at times humorous song (a basketball game getting rained out???). We’re left to imagine if Biggie would have kept Mase’s name a secret had he lived.

After checking out the below video, check out this earlier piece that goes in-depth on Fat Joe other story about Roy Jones.

https://youtu.be/nQc5caT4hts

Tony Wroten to Sign 2 Year Deal with Knicks

Free agent guard Tony Wroten is finalizing a multi-year contract to join the Knicks for the next two seasons.

Wroten was released by the Sixers in December after struggling to return from a torn right ACL in January 2015. The 22 year old lead Philadelphia in scoring last season with 17 points per game. This year, he averaged 8.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 18.0 minutes, last playing in December.

At 6’6, the Knicks are hoping Wroten can strengthen their struggling backcourt with his defense and penetration ability.

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This is a good signing. Since the second year of the deal is reportedly not guaranteed, the rest of this season is essentially a tryout to see if Wroten can mesh with our group. While Wroten does not solve our PG problems, he has playmaking ability and can be a scoring threat instead of the predictable iso dumps to Melo when the shot clock is running down. Defense is where I’m really hoping he can be serviceable as we’ve been getting cooked by athletic PGs all year.

For the last few months, Wroten has been leaving cryptic messages on social media about possibly joining New York. Now he has his chance to show and prove.

[Video] Watch Arron Afflalo Break Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s Ankles

What got into Arron Afflalo tonight? AA produced a 7/7 first half for 15 points and finished the game with 20 as Knicks beat the Pistons 102-89. Afflalo’s most memorable play came in the first quarter with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope being victim of an ankle-breaking crossover. It was only right that the basketball gods rewarded Afflalo with a friendly rim bounce.

Check out the link below for more angles.

Knicks Fans Showcase – TDK Clothings’ Dope NYK Customs

Saying it’s been a tough season for our Knicks is a gross understatement. But moments like this have provide a little joy. This awesome sweatshirt arrived today courtesy of TKD Clothing, who’ve made two Knicks-themed shirts that have been in huge demand. The first is a tribute to the 90’s squad named “Bully Ball.” The other is the “God First…” sweatshirt you see above.

Unfortunately, both are sold out. But stay tuned to the TKD Clothing website and IG page for news on their next clothing run. Also make sure to subscribe to their affiliated Knicks Discussion FB page and IG.

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