Knick Knacks

Strike 2: Hill (and maybe Nash) staying in Phoenix

Much like when Jason Kidd turned them down to stay in Dallas, Grant Hill has turned down the Knicks (and apparently more money) to stay with the Suns.

Agent Lon Babby confirmed Friday afternoon that Hill, who visited the Knicks on Monday, accepted a two-year $6.24 million offer, with the second year at Hill's option _ where he did not miss a game last season for the first time in his injury-plagued career. Babby cited "unfinished business" as the reason Hill turned down not only the Knicks, but a chance to play for his first championship ring in Boston.

Although the agent said the official Knicks offer he and Hill turned down was for one-year and the full mid-level salary of $5.8 million, he said the two sides also discussed a three-year deal (two years plus Hill's option for the third) worth a total of $10 million, with the same $5.8 million for the first season.

Boston, he said, could only offer their lower-level salary-cap exception figure of just under $2 million for this season. Babby, though, would not say what factors prevented Hill from signing there or with the Knicks.

One, though, according to the Arizona Republic and all but confirmed by the agent, was an apparent assurance Hill got from Steve Nash that the two-time MVP point guard planned to sign a two-year extension.

That would be another hit to the Knicks, who hoped to bring Nash to his off-season home via free agency next summer, if not trade for him this summer if Nash declined the extension and asked out with one year left on his current contract.

A visit Suns owner Robert Sarver, GM Steve Kerr and coach Alvin Gentry paid Hill on Wednesday in Orlando also helped sway the 36-year-old forward, Babby said

So if Kidd was strike one, then Hill and possibly Nash are strike 2. We're not going to say yet that the Knicks have already struck out this free agent/trade season, because they may get David Lee and Nate Robinson back cheaply for at least another season and our friend at the Daily News reports they may try to vulture Andre Miller away from the 76ers, who've apparently low-balled the veteran point guard.

And Donnie Walsh often has something else up his sleeve.

But so far, at least the players they've pursued publicly have spurned their advances. That, plus the NBA's salary-cap projections the other day that will likely hurt their Summer of LeBron hopes haven't exactly made this a summer to remember for Walsh and Co.

Yet.

***

We also loved the report that Hill's wife was trying to coerce him to play in New York to help her music career.

How long a flight is it from Phoenix to Los Angeles?

Salary-cap shrinkage would impact 2010

It may seem like a bunch of numbers. Yet, if the NBA is accurate in its projections that the 2010-11 salary cap could fall to as low as $50-53 million (after dropping about $1 million for the upcoming season to $57.7 million) then the Knicks _ and all the other teams opening up cap space to troll the Summer of LeBron 2010 free-agent class _ suddenly could find themselves with far less space than they thought.

Which means teams that were trying to open up enough room to pursue 1 1/2 to two maxed-out players (e.g. the Knicks) might have to lower their sights.

It's all projected, of course, but it's all about the the decreased revenues the league expects during the upcoming season because of the economy.

What it also means is that the contract extensions players such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh can sign later this month, might be worth more than the maxed-out deals they could sign next summer. In other words, they'd likely make more now than later _ and you know how making more money tends to affect athletes.

Stay tuned, for the ground is just starting to shake.

***

MSG Network will televise all five of the Knicks' summer league games from Las Vegas: July 14 vs. Memphis at 6 p.m., July 15 vs. Detroit at 4 p.m., July 17 vs. Sacramento at 6 p.m., July 18 vs. Chicago at 6 p.m. and July 19 vs. Washington at 4 p.m.

The games will be the first with the team for first-round draft picks Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas.

Ariza delusional again? Plus a Sweetney sighting

Amazing. A "source" close to Trevor Ariza insisted that LeBron James said while he and the Cavaliers were recruiting the former Knick,that James planned to be in Cleveland beyond this year, according to an ESPN .com report.

Then sources close to LBJ indicated he said no such thing, according to the same "worldwide leader" in often-mindless drivel.

Now, if LeBron signs the contract extension for which he's eligible this week, then we'll believe the first part of the story. If he doesn't, then we'll stick with the second part.

Otherwise, we'll let others get breathless reading these tea leaves until something less (to cite the label Larry Brown once hung on Ariza) "delusional" comes along.

 ***

Michael Sweetney got about a month in the spotlight after Isiah Thomas took over the Knicks. Then Thomas spent him in the Eddy Curry trade (someone should've thrown in Jenny Craig) and after two non-descript years in Chicago, Sweetney has been out of the NBA the past two years.

Now he's resurfaced with Boston's summer league team and talks about it in a HoopsHype.com interview (click here). What's most interesting is that he says he spent part of his down time working out at Florida International University _ Isiah's new employer.

Oh, and in a related note, Oliver Miller also wants to make an NBA comeback.

Someone call Valerie Bertinelli to get her thoughts.

Oh, and in case you're looking for a gratuitous glance at the People magazine bathing suit photo, there's talk that bastion of fine journalism that's responsible for much of what's wrong with the business these days photo-shopped her stomach.

Is there anything left to believe in?

D-Wade on his future

Interesting stuff Monday from Dwyane Wade on his future in Miami. Even with the ability to sign a contract extension for 2010 and beyond as soon as next week, he sounds a little like Chris Bosh in that he wants to see the direction the Heat are going before committing to his future.

LeBron, of course, can also sign such an extension (as can Bosh), but hasn't publicly pronounced such a one-year evaluation plan.

Here's the Associated Press story about Wade and see what you can read between or in the lines.

If you can't get LeBron, he'd be a nice consolation prize, don't you think?

MIAMI (AP) -- Dwyane Wade will remain in Miami on one condition. He wants the Heat to become a championship contender again, the quicker the better.

Otherwise, he might need moving trucks next summer.

The reigning NBA scoring champion, who can opt out of his Heat contract after the 2009-10 season, said Monday that simply getting to the playoffs "is not enough" to satisfy him any more and that his long-term commitment to Miami hinges entirely on the franchise getting back into the mix for the title trophy he hoisted just three years ago.

"I'm going to listen. I owe the Miami Heat that much. I'm going to listen to what they have to say and I'm going to think about it," Wade said. "But right now, the way I feel, I want to make sure that we're on track to where I want us to be on track to before I sign back."

Wade made clear that he would like to stay with the Heat, reiterating something he's said countless times in recent months. There's no acrimony between the 2006 NBA finals MVP and Heat president Pat Riley either, and Wade said that the jump Miami made this past season -- from 15 wins and the league's worst record in 2007-08, to 43 wins and the No. 5 seed in the East in 2008-09 -- was thrilling.

"I'm good with that," Wade said, "for one year."

Another season around .500, though, won't be as enticing.

"That's not enough for me," said Wade, who set career-bests last season in scoring average (30.2 per game), 3-point goals (88, three more than his total from his first five NBA seasons combined), steals (2.2 per game), blocks (1.3 per game) and games played (79).

At 27, he feels like he's just entering his prime -- and doesn't want to miss any opportunity for more titles.

"I've told coach Riley this: All my life, all I've ever wanted to do is win and be put in a position where I can win and succeed," Wade said. "Build me a team. Put the pressure on me to win a championship. Give me a team and say 'All right, you've got to go do it,' and I'll take that pressure. Give me guys that we feel can compete every year to win a championship. I don't want to go anywhere else."

***

Doesn't look as if there'll be an early resolution on either David Lee's or Nate Robinson's status. It's likely both will end up signing offer sheets (for which Donnie Walsh is certainly waiting to see if he can afford either), which could lead to some sign-and-trade neogtiations.

The market for Lee, in particular, seems small, if Portland comes to its senses and realizes it needs to spend its cap money on an upgrade at the point, rather than a backup big man (a role that Lee would likely forego unless the Blazers blow him away financially).

Nate, it seems, has a bigger market because he has a lower asking price and because of his Seattle background, would seem more amenable to signing an offer sheet and force the Knicks' hand.

But, of course, things change by the minute in this climate.

RJ's big mouth

Our old friend Richard Jefferson got on the radio Thursday with Dan Patrick and decided to proclaim that in his opinion, Jason Kidd is going to sign with the Knicks.

From the SportsRadioInterviews.com:

Is Jason Kidd attending your wedding?
“I do not know if Jason Kidd is attending, right now he’s dealing with free agency, and he’s gonna be a Knick.  (Host: Ya think so?)  Yes, well, yeah, I hope for him - he loves New York, we both really love New York.  (Host: Wait, did he tell you he’s gonna play for the Knicks?)  No, no, no, no, no, he never said those words, but I… (Host: Are you sweating right now)  No, I’m not sweating right now!” 

Now, we've known Richard Jefferson for years. Called him up one morning, having been told he was in New York, only to discover he was in Arizona after a long night, if you catch the drift. He's also apparently marrying the caliber of woman you'd expect, if that's her on the website.

Yeah, he may know something we don't know (and would like to), but we're thinking RJ would like to get JKidd out of the West, wanted to say something about Kidd's affinity for all the NYC has to offer and again forgot the filter he often forgets for his mouth.

That said, there's a small part inside that believes Kidd will leave money behind in Dallas and ...

Nah. He has three kids plus his ex-wife to support, he needs all the coin he can get.

And Dallas just got a commitment from Marcin Gortat for its mid-level exception. Gortat and Erick Dampier in the middle. What's not to like about staying in the Big D besides the heat, the highways and the fact that Texas' doesn't stink.

 

How loud will money and location talk to Kidd and Lee?

How much is New York worth?

How much does playing close to your kids or leaving New York for more money elsewhere matter?

We'll find out soon how it all does with Jason Kidd and David Lee _ and whether either subscribes to the long-proven theory: When an athlete says it's not about the money, it's about the money.

(And we're also looking into an ESPN.com report that indicates Grant Hill may be visiting the Knicks next week. If so, clearly they're looking for a short-term, veteran-leader type who still has something left in his tank)

Kidd was at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday morning getting the grand tour (his name and number on a uniform, plus up in scoreboard lights) not long after what Dallas owner Mark Cuban called an "optimistic" meeting with his point guard.

Kidd said hello to reporters, but declined to speak beyond that about his reasoning for even investigating the Knicks (which we believe to be simply to squeeze more money out of Cuban). Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni, meanwhile, said they believe Kidd still has two or three more quality years left in him. Hence their interest.

But as it stands now, pending a sign-and-trade deal, Kidd can get no more than the $5.5 million mid-level exception to sign with the Knicks, while Cuban can go far higher, with Newsday reporting (and ESPN.com  parroting Wednesday) JKidd has already been already offered $8 million for each of three years, with some uncertainty about whether the third is an option.

So Kidd will have to decide whether to turn down more money to play in a building he's always loved and in a city where he's often enjoyed the night-life, just across the Hudson from where his (often attached-at-his -hip) son T.J. and twin daughters live with his ex-wife

He'll also have to decide whether to throw away a long-shot chance to win a title in Dallas for the hope that he and LeBron or whomever the Knicks sign next summer can win one in a hurry.

Faced with a somewhat similar choice before, Kidd took the Nets' money and a lesser chance to win a title rather than the almost-certainty of winning a ring in San Antonio for less coin.

Lee, meanwhile, apparently will now face his own location-or-money choice. Yahoo reports that Memphis has offered him as much as $10 million per for as many as four or five seasons _ or $2 million per year more than the Knicks' intial reported offer.

So that's more money to play in Memphis, with its exceptional music museums and overrated barbecue, but for another losing program instead of New York, where the losing culture seems to be slowly changing and where his long-time girlfriend, a model, would be far more comfortable.

Let's see if for him, as well as Kidd, the pull of the personal trumps money.

***

Oh, and T.J., if you're reading this or hear about it, get in touch. Since your father's days with the Nets we've always wanted to type the phrase, "according to a source close to Daddy."

***

The Knicks' summer league roster is out and besides first-round picks Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas, Patrick Ewing Jr. is back after his knee injury-aborted NBADL season.

Morris Almond (a former Jazz first-rounder and a shooter Isiah Thomas once considered drafting), former Clipper Alex Acker, plus late-season bench guys Joe Crawford and Mouhamed Sene are on it.

The Knicks play five games in the Vegas league July 14-19.