Jeremy Lin Claimed By New York Knicks To Fill Guard Role

It didn't take long for the New York Knicks to address their pressing need for a guard, as Tuesday New York claimed Jeremy Lin off waivers. Lin, who had recently been released by the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets, respectively, will try and fill the void of backup shooting guard Iman Shumpert, who suffered a sprained MCL during New York's 106-104 victory over the Boston Celtics is expected to miss 2-4 weeks.

The Knicks (1-0) are also waiting for the return of veteran guards Mike Bibby and Baron Davis, who each missed the season-opener with back injuries. Davis is expected to miss a large portion of the shortened 66-game regular season.

Last season, the Harvard graduate, Lin, played in 29 games, averaged 9.8 minutes and just 2.6 points in his first NBA season with the Warriors.

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New York Knicks Free Agency Rumors 2011: Knicks Looking For Another Guard

Experiencing a number of back court injuries, the New York Knicks will look to add another free agent guard, coach Mike D'Antoni said on Monday.

Recent acquisitions Mike Bibby and Baron Davis both missed the season opener with back injuries, and Davis is expected to miss significant time. New York's back court health issues were only compounded when backup shooting guard Iman Shumpert suffered a sprained MCL during New York's 106-104 victory against Boston. Shumpert is expected to miss 2-4 weeks.

The Knicks still have a $2.5 million exception to use, but it might be smart for New York to save that cap space for when the Denver Nuggets free agents who signed in China during the lockout -- Wilson Chandler, Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith -- become available sometime around May. Carmelo Anthony is reportedly interested in adding Martin as a backup big.

Free agent guards include Michael Redd, Keith Bogans, Gilbert Arenas and former Knicks Eddie House and Nate Robinson. Robinson seems highly unlikely since he and D'Antoni did not see eye to eye while Robinson was in New York.

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New York Knicks Free Agency Rumors: Carmelo Anthony Pushing For Kenyon Martin Acquisition?

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony hopes his team can eventually sign power forward Kenyon Martin, an NBA source told the New York Post's Marc Berman.

Martin, who signed in China during the lockout, received a contract buyout from his Chinese team but is not free to sign an NBA deal until his former Chinese team finishes its season. At that point, likely some time in March, Martin will become an unrestricted free agent in the NBA.

Because the Knicks were successful in convincing Baron Davis to sign a veteran's minimum contract, the team still has its $2.5 million room exception to spend. The rugged Martin would be a valuable addition to New York's star-studded, albeit thin, front court, and the Knicks could have a leg up on competition for his services because of their standing as a potential contender that can spend more than the veteran's minimum.

Anthony might also be a draw for Martin. The duo became very familiar with each other while spending almost seven seasons together in Denver.

Berman reports that Martin did not look good in China, but people close to Martin said that was because he was unhappy in China and "just collecting a paycheck during the lockout."

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New York Knicks Free Agent Rumors: Steve Novak To Sign One-Year Deal

Earlier today, the New York Knicks officially added 32-year-old veteran guard Baron Davis, even though he could be out for as long as 8-10 weeks with a back injury. The Knicks continued to fill in the rest of their roster via free agency by adding a sharp-shooting forward: 

The New York Knicks plan to sign three-point specialist Steve Novak to a one-year deal, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Novak, a 6-foot-11 forward, does have to pass through waivers unclaimed. The Knicks would guarantee Novak a league minimum contract for the 2011-12 season.

Novak was added to the San Antonio Spurs camp roster last week after playing 23 games for them last season (and 225 overall with four different teams), but was released and placed on waivers on Monday night. Novak is a career .417 three-point shooter. 

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Baron Davis Signs With New York Knicks Officially

The New York Knicks officially announced the signing of Baron Davis on Monday morning. And the team might still have use of its cap exception to continuing bolstering its supporting cast. 

Howard Beck reports that Davis' contract is for the veteran's minimum, contradicting a batch of other reports saying that Davis would sign for the room exception ($2.5 million). The willingness of Davis to accept the league minimum contract is critical to New York's pursuit of additional free agents to round out the Knicks' bench. By combining more than an extra $1 million per season with the chance to play for a contender, the Knicks would become one of the most desirable locations for the remaining pack of free-agent role players.

The Knicks, who whiffed in their attempt to keep Shawne Williams, are said to be interested in signing another wing. James Posey has been mentioned in Knicks rumors and Al Thornton would be a younger, more athletic alternative. Other players who could interest the Knicks include Bostjan Nachbar, sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic and the rugged DeShawn Stevenson. The Knicks are also reportedly on Gilbert Arenas' wish list.

Unfortunately for New York, Davis is out with a back injury. He said during his introductory press conference on Monday that he could miss the next 8-10 weeks. Missing that much time would amount to missing half the season.

Davis has been considered one of the NBA's most talented point guards since being drafted, but has struggled at times with weight issues, injury problems and bouts of poor shot selection. If interested, healthy and in shape, Davis would be a valuable addition to what had been a barren -- and is now a Baron -- Knicks back court. 

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Baron Davis Rumors: Reports Say He Will Join New York Knicks

A variety of Internet reports are saying that free-agent point guard Baron Davis will, as had been rumored in recent days, sign a contract with the New York Knicks. ESPN New York and SI.com have both reported that the 32-year-old Davis will join the Knicks.

SI reported that the Knicks wooed Davis by using their $2.5 million exception rather than offering him the veteran minimum contract of $1.4 million. 

Davis played last season for the Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 13.1 points and 6.7 assists in 58 games. Davis was waived recently by the Cavaliers using the amnesty clause negotiated in the new CBA.

The Knicks have been searching for point guard help since using their own amnesty clause to waive Chauncey Billups and clear cap space to sign center Tyson Chandler. They recently added MIke Bibby, who averaged just 8.6 points and 3.3 assists in 68 combined games for three teams last season.

Davis should have more in the tank than Bibby, and could be a good fit for Mike D'Antoni's fast-paced offense. The problem is no one knows when the oft-injured Davis will be available. He has a bulging disc in his back and there are reports he could be lost for anywhere from four to 10 weeks.

Still, D'Antoni has said the Knicks "have the ability to win it all" in this shortened NBA season. If the Knicks think Davis is an upgrade over Bibby and Toney Douglas, which he should be if healthy, this could be a gamble worth taking.

Knicks Free Agency Rumors 2011: Baron Davis Wants To Join Knicks, According To Report

The New York Knicks' starting front line is an exclamation point. The rest of the roster is a question mark. Baron Davis could be both.

The guard, who was recently waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers using the amnesty clause, reportedly wants to sign with the Knicks if he clears waivers. Sources told Sheridan Hoops' Moke Hamilton that the Knicks are Davis' top choice.

Davis comes with health issues that will delay his return to the court, potentially for as long as three months. But sources told Hamilton some reports have been exaggerated and Davis' injured back could be healthy enough for him to resume basketball action in two weeks.

If the Knicks do sign Davis, it wouldn't make Amare Stoudemire overly thrilled. The star power forward told Newsday that Davis' health issues should keep the Knicks from pursuing him.

"This guy's out for eight to 10 weeks, he's not our concern at all,'' Stoudemire said of Davis, who was waived by the Cavaliers on Wednesday. "We can't do anything about his injury. Right now we can't afford to have any setbacks. We have a positive thing going. We feel great about our guys. Everybody's healthy, so we've just got to keep it going.''

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Shawne Williams Signs With New Jersey Nets Rather Than New York Knicks

The New Jersey Nets have reportedly signed Shawne Williams, poaching the forward from his former team, the New York Knicks.

Last season in New York, Williams revived a basketball career that at times had seemed like a lost cause. After battling an early-career bout with maturity, Williams found steady feet in New York, playing in 64 games last season while averaging a career-high 20.7 minutes and 7.1 points per game. 

In Mike D'Antoni's free-flowing offense, Williams' soft touch thrived. He shot a career-high 40.1 percent from the arc, developing into an outside threat who could spread the floor and keep defenses honest. 

Williams had previously said he would like to remain in New York, where he was familiar with the offense and had finally found a team that wanted him. But the Knicks' best offer was reportedly for one year at the league minimum salary, and the Nets could pay more to retain the services of the versatile, if not great, forward who finally seems to have found his niche.

For more Nets coverage, visit our team page or our blog, Nets Daily.

Knicks Rumors: Jamal Crawford Out, Is Baron Davis Up Next?

Jamal Crawford has reportedly told the New York Knicks they are no longer among the teams the free-agent guard is considering. As it almost always is, it’s about the money.

The Knicks have only a $2.5 million cap exception to offer a free agent, and Crawford can apparently make much more than that on the open market. The veteran guard could wind up with the Portland Trail Blazers or Sacramento Kings.

So, what will the Knicks do now? Baron Davis was recently cut loose by the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the 32-year-old point guard would seem like a fit for the backcourt-needy Knicks. Except for the fact that Davis has a back injury and currently can’t play. The severity of that back injury is apparently open for debate.

There is also speculation that the Knicks could offer that cap exception to Shawne Williams, who played for the Knicks last season, or Maurice Evans, a 6-foot-5 swingman who finished the 2010-11 season with the Washington Wizards.

New York Knicks Rumors: Jamal Crawford Back To New York?

A reunion between the New York Knicks and free agent guard Jamal Crawford, who spent more than four seasons with the Knicks from 2004-2008, appears to be a real possibility. Crawford is reportedly weighing offers from the Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.

Crawford averaged 20.7 points per game for the Knicks in 2007-2008, but was traded to the Golden State Warriors 11 games into the 2008-2009 season for forward Al Harrington.

Crawford, 31, averaged 14.2 points per game for the Atlanta Hawks a season ago. Crawford averages 15.4 points and 3.9 assists per game over his 11-year career.

The Knicks are continuing to try and re-structure their backcourt after signing free agent center Tyson Chandler and releasing veteran point guard Chauncey Billups. They have already added veteran point guard Mike Bibby to their roster.

New York apparently has only a $2.5 million trade exception to offer Crawford, unless it can somehow arrange a sign-and-trade.

New York Knicks Free Agency: Jared Jeffries, Mike Bibby Sign Deals

Looking to surround their two superstars with a worthy supporting cast, the New York Knicks made two more additions official on Sunday: Mike Bibby and Jared Jeffries.

Desperate for point guard play after using the amnesty clause to waive Chauncey Billups, the Knicks naturally gravitated toward Bibby. At age 33, Bibby no longer possesses the lateral quickness of his younger days. His defense is a step slower and he's no longer a threat to penetrate the lane. But he still does one thing particularly well: shoot. The former University of Arizona star shot 44.0 percent last year from behind the arc, splitting time between the Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards and Miami Heat. 

Jeffries is not nearly the shooter Bibby is, but he has earned coach Mike D'Antoni's heart by proving his willingness to defend. Sometimes criticized for his slow finish to last season, Jeffries is a versatile defender who can guard any front court position, and even sometimes defends point guards like Rajon Rondo when D'Antoni wants to throw a curveball.

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NBA Trade Rumors 2011: New York Knicks Interested In Jamal Crawford

Just hours after cutting one veteran guard Chauncey Billups Saturday, the New York Knicks were reportedly interested in acquiring veteran guard Jamal Crawford. According to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com, the Knicks are trying to work a sign-and-trade deal with the Atlanta Hawks, but the move would only work if Crawford is willing to take a significant pay cut.

New York is over the cap and has no exception money," wrote Kennedy Saturday night. "They also have few trade assets to offer. If the Hawks were willing to do a sign-and-trade with New York built around Renaldo Balkman’s $1.67 million deal, Bill Walker’s $916,000 deal and Toney Douglas’ $1.145 million deal, the Knicks would be sending out $3.73 million in salaries. The new collective bargaining agreement would allow New York to take back 150 percent plus or minus $100,000, which would give Crawford a starting salary of $5.6 million."

Last season, the 11-year veteran averaged 10.3 points per game and 3.0 assists per game.

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Report: Knicks Trying to Acquire JJ Barea?

According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated the Knicks are trying to find ways in which they can acquire guard JJ Barea. 

Knicks don't have the money to sign Barea outright but, according to a source, are working on different scenarios to land him

The 27 year-old Barea played a key role in the Dallas Mavericks title run last season, as a backup guard off the bench. The generously – and I mean generously – six foot, undersized guard quickly became a fan favorite during the playoffs because of the energy, grit and scoring he brought to the court each and every night. 

Barea's excellence in the playoffs even prompted Grantland writer Bill Barnwell to write a piece about Barea and his bench mantes. 

The mini combo guard averaged a career-high 9.5 points per game during the regular season, and averaged 8.9 points per game during the Mavericks' championship run. 

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Report: Mike Bibby to Sign with Knicks

According to Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated and NBA Confidential veteran point guard, Mike Bibby, will sign a one-year contract with the New York Knicks. 

Source says Mike Bibby will indeed sign a one-year, minimum deal with New York.

In the past few hours the Knicks have gone from Chauncey Billups at 14 million to Mike Bibby at the league minimum. They've also signed the defensive anchor of last year's championship Dallas Mavericks in Tyson Chandler. 

The 33 year-old Bibby is no where near his prime anymore, but serves as a nice spot-up shooter/veteran on a team full of offensive weapons – namely Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire – who can create open shots for teammates. Bibby spent last season in a similar situation with the Miami Heat. He played 22 regular season games with the team, starting 12 of them, and appeared in 20 playoff games. 

He averaged 7.3 points per game with the Heat in the regular season, and 3.7 points in the playoffs. 

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Tyson Chandler Signed, Chauncey Billups Waived, Ronny Turiaf Traded

The New York Knicks have been rumored to have reached an agreement with former Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler for days now. It has also been rumored that veteran point guard Chauncey Billups would be waived following Chandler's arrival, along with a trade of Ronny Turiaf to the Washington Wizards.

Well, now all those "rumors" are officially official, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports:

Knicks make official the signing of Tyson Chandler.

and

Knicks have waived Chauncey Billups under amnesty provision.

This comes via a Washington Wizards' press release:

The Washington Wizards announced today that they have acquired forward/center Ronny Turiaf, a 2013 second round pick and cash considerations from the New York Knicks along with a 2012 second round pick from the Dallas Mavericks. The three-team deal also sends Tyson Chandler, the rights to Ahmad Nivins and the rights to Giorgos Printezis from Dallas to New York while the Mavericks will receive Andy Rautins from the Knicks and a 2012 protected second-round pick from the Wizards.

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Knicks Rumors: Tyson Chandler, Jerome Jordan, Ronny Turiaf, Chauncey Billups

The New York Knicks are undergoing a whirlwind roster transformation now that the NBA is once again open for business. The Knicks will officially announce the acquisition of 7-foot-1 center Tyson Chandler this afternoon, but that is really just the beginning.

The New York Post is reporting that the Chandler acquisition will, technically, be a sign-and-trade with the Dallas Mavericks. Reserve guard Andy Rautins will reportedly end up in Dallas. 

The Knicks have also traded last year's center, Ronny Turiaf, to the Washington Wizards and are reportedly set to sign Jerome Jordan, a seven-foot 2010 second-round draft pick who played overseas last season. Chandler, Jordan and Jared Jeffries would give the Knicks interior defense they did not have a season ago.

The expected release of Chauncey Billups using the newly-negotiated amnesty clause included in the CBA has not happened yet, but is likely to happen soon. Reports have had the Knicks negotiating with veteran Mike Bibby as a stop-gap at point guard.

Report: Knicks In 'Serious Negotiations' With Mike Bibby

Veteran point guard Mike Bibby made it pretty clear at the end of last season that he had no plans to retire from the NBA, and a new report suggests he could be talking turkey with the New York Knicks.

Alex Kennedy Tweets:

The New York Knicks are in serious negotiations with Mike Bibby, according to sources close to the situation. No details yet.

The 33-year-old point guard surrendered a $6.4 million buyout from the Washington Wizards to finish the 2010-11 season with the Miami Heat, finishing with 8.6 points per game and 2.4 rebounds (nearly half his career average).

Bibby tells the Sun Sentinel:

"I think I've still got years left. I'm still kind of young. I've got a lot of years in this league, but I'm definitely not thinking of retiring."

Stay tuned to SB Nation New York for more details on this still-developing story.

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Chauncey Billups Could Retire If Waived Using Amnesty Clause, Says Agent

The New York Knicks are reportedly planning to use the amnesty clause to waive Chauncey Billups in order to make room for signing Tyson Chandler, a development that does not please Billups. Billups' agent told ESPN the guard could consider retirement if the league's waiver process lands him somewhere undesirable.

"But I wouldn't be surprised if Chauncey retired rather than play for a team he wouldn't want to play for," said Andy Miller, agent for the 35-year-old point guard. "He doesn't need the money, his kids are getting to an age where he wants to be an active participant, and he doesn't need the frustration and instability he's constantly dealing with. So he may choose not to play."

The league's waiver process allows teams that are under the salary cap -- mostly bad teams -- the chance to receive the first crack at anybody released using the amnesty clause. That likely means Billups, accustomed to advancing deep into the playoffs, would be headed to a team with little chance of contending.

"Chauncey's pissed off, but he's not pissed at the Knicks," Miller said. "He understands it's a business and they have to do what they have to do. "But he's in a very frustrated state of mind because this has happened to him twice now. The way the league is structured, if you're a hot name and teams have interest in you, you have the ability to manufacture mass hysteria, and guys like Chauncey who put in years of high-level leadership, production, and service get lost."

The Knicks are also reportedly trying to move Ronny Turiaf in order to clear payroll.

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Grant Hill Won't Sign With Knicks -- Decides To Stay In Phoenix

Grant Hill will not be a member of the New York Knicks. The 39-year-old free-agent forward reportedly agreed today to re-sign with the Phoenix Suns.

AZ Central reports that Hill will stay in Phoenix on a one-year, $6.5 million contract. The Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls were all reportedly in the running for Hill.

Hill would have been reunited with head coach Mike D’Antoni, who coached the Suns when Hill arrived in Phoenix, had he come to New York.

Hill averaged 13.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 80 games for the Suns last season. After injuries wiped out more than half of the potential games Hill could have played in from 2000-2001 to 2005-2006 Hill has missed just three games in the past two seasons.

It isn’t known if Tyson Chandler’s signing with the Knicks impacted their ability to sign Hill, but the Knicks will need to look elsewhere for front-line help behind Carmelo Anthony.

Tyson Chandler Free Agency: Center Confirms He Will Sign With New York Knicks

Tyson Chandler confirmed Friday that he will sign with the New York Knicks. He told ESPN 103.3's "Ben and Skin Show" the deal will be a straight free agent signing rather than a sign-and-trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks.

The 7-foot-1 center, who played a crucial role in Dallas' championship last season, said he realized early in free agency that he would not be returning to the Mavericks. He chose the Knicks despite being heavily pursued by the Houston Rockets and Golden St. Warriors, among others.

"It just really happened over the last, like, 48 hours," Chandler said. "I just think the future of the team, being able to play alongside Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and the young talent that we have, I feel like puts us in contention over the next four or five years."

The deal is expected to be worth $58 million over four years. The New York Times reports the Knicks will release Chauncey Billups using the NBA's amnesty clause to make room for their new starting center.

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Tyson Chandler Free Agency Rumors: Could Knicks Deal Amare Stoudemire, Release Chauncey Billups?

Tyson Chandler cannot sign a free-agent contract with the New York Knicks until Friday, and there is no guarantee he will — although ESPN is reporting that it is “98 percent sure” Chandler is headed to the Knicks. The fallout, though, has already begun.

The signing of Chandler, a seven-foot center, could mean the Knicks would use forward Amare Stoudemire as bait in an effort to acquire New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul. Both Marc Stein and Chris Broussard of ESPN have reported that as a possibility.

Paul, of course, has previously expressed a desire to be traded to the Knicks — to form a Big Three with Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. Broussard, though, says Chandler and Paul are friends.

There is, of course, no confirmation from anyone involved with the Knicks that they would consider trading Stoudemire. New York signed Stoudemire to a five-year, $100-million contract as a free agent a year ago. Stoudemire refused to entertain trade questions today.

There is also the matter of what becomes of Billups in this scenario. There are reports that the Knicks would use the amnesty clause from the new CBA to cut ties with Billups to save salary cap space, and that the veteran point guard is “irate” over the possibility.

Stay tuned.

Tyson Chandler Free Agency 2011: New York Knicks Reportedly Leaders For Center's Services

In a surprise, the New York Knicks have reportedly become the leaders to obtain the services of free-agent center Tyson Chandler.

Chandler, a 29-year-old seven-footer whose defensive presence last season was crucial to the Dallas Mavericks' championship, had reportedly been holding the Golden State Warriors in highest regard. The Warriors are reportedly ready to offer Chandler a four-year, $60-million deal as soon as the free agency period officially begins on Friday.

But the Knicks can offer Chandler a better opportunity to play for a contender. Ken Berger notes that New York could retrieve the necessary cap space by using the amnesty clause to release Chauncey Billups, then parting ways with Ronnie Turiaf. League sources tell Berger the Knicks have jumped to the top of Chandler's list, though the Mavericks and Warriors are still in pursuit. 

Despite his game-changing ability to defend the rim, Chandler does not come without risk. Before a mostly-healthy run in Dallas last season, Chandler had struggled through two consecutive injury-riddled seasons. In February of 2009, a trade that would have sent Chandler to Oklahoma City was blocked when Chandler failed a physical. After examining Chandler's big toe, an Oklahoma City team physician named Dr. Carlan Yates found that there was a high likelihood of reinjury. At the time, Chandler said Yates "doesn't know how long I'll last."

The center averaged 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds in 74 games last year. 

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Grant Hill Free Agency Rumors: 'Leaning' To Knicks, Per Report

Grant Hill could be the newest New York Knicks player when the NBA free agency period begins on Dec. 9. "It’s not 100 percent done, but he’s leaning,’’ a source told the New York Post in a report Thursday.

The veteran small forward has been debating a move to New York from his current team, the Phoenix Suns. Hill has two kids in school in Arizona and -- after an injury-plagued career -- has had a late renaissance.

More from the Post report:

Hill is about to choose the Knicks, who could be one of the heavies in the Eastern Conference. Hill would be slotted in as the starting shooting guard, supplanting Landry Fields and giving the club more leadership, shooting, defense and the depth that the team lost in the Carmelo Anthony trade.

Hill would be reunited with head coach Mike D'Antoni, who coaching the Suns when Hill arrived in Phoenix. New York and D'Antoni clearly have a thing for HIll. The Knicks have tried to sign Hill before, most recently two years ago when Hill decided to stay in Phoenix.

Signing Hill would solve one Knicks problem on the wing, but it's unclear what impact that would have on the rest of their free agency hunting, including re-signing Shawne Williams.

-- Keep up with New York's personnel moves with our comprehensive Knicks Free Agency StoryStream and visit our Knicks blog, Posting and Toasting.

Jared Jeffries Intends To Sign With New York Knicks, According To Reports

Free agent forward Jared Jeffries has told the New York Knicks he intends to re-sign with the team, according to multiple reports from Knicks beat writers. The deal is expected to be for one season.

Jeffries played for the Knicks from 2006 to 2010, but was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2010 as part of the deal that sent Tracy McGrady to New York. In February of 2011, the Rockets bought out Jeffries' contract and he decided to re-sign with the Knicks. He played 24 games with the Knicks last season, averaging 2.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. 

Mike D'Antoni has said he appreciates the effort Jeffries puts forth. Though Jeffries is not considered a good scorer, D'Antoni likes his commitment to defense and believes the Knicks are better off surrounding superstars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire with defensive-minded players rather than pure scorers.

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Grant Hill Free Agency Rumors: New York Knicks Among Hill's Four Reported Finalists

Free-agent forward Grant Hill has trimmed his choices down to four teams, reports NBA.com's David Aldridge, and the New York Knicks are reportedly one of Hill's preferred destinations. According to Aldridge's sources, the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls are also finalists to acquire the 39-year old veteran's services.

The Knicks came close to acquiring Hill in 2007 before he signed with the Suns. During four seasons with the Suns, Hill has averaged at least 11.3 points per game and 4.2 rebounds per game every season. He has also overcome injury concerns that haunted the prime of his career, playing at least 70 games in each of the past four seasons.

Because of his versatility on both ends of the court and his reputation as a team-first player, Hill has drawn interest from several teams, many of whom are contenders. He has said there is a good chance he re-signs with the Suns, but is open to other suitors.

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Knicks Free Agency Rumors: Jeff Foster Wooed By New York

The New York Knicks would like a tough, defensive-minded center to team with high-scoring forwards Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. Reports are that the guy they want most is veteran Jeff Foster, who has spent his entire 12-year career with the Indiana Pacers.

The New York Post makes it seem unlikely that the Knicks can woo Foster, but they have dispatched former Knicks and Pacers GM Donnie Walsh, now a Knicks consultant, to try and convince Foster to give New York a try.

Here is part of the report from the Post's Marc Berman:

Foster desperately wants to stay in Indiana and indicated he may be willing to take less money, since he wants to finish his career with Indiana, where he has played 12 seasons. In a bad sign for the Knicks, Foster showed up at the Pacers' practice facility to work out Thursday on the first day teams unlocked the doors.

Foster made $6.7 million last season. The Knicks can outbid the Pacers on a one-year deal if they offer their $5 million mid-level exception. They appear to be willing to do so as long as they protect their 2012 space for the free-agent bonanza of Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and Deron Williams.

Foster is 34, and played only 16 games two seasons ago and 56 last season. Previous reports had also indicated that the injuries he has battled the past couple of seasons might lead him to retire.

Knicks Free Agency Rumors: Grant Hill An Option For New York

NBA Free Agency officially begins on Dec. 9, but the New York Knicks free agency rumors are already flowing. The latest, according to Newsday's Alan Hahn, is that the Knicks could look to target veteran small forward Grant Hill for the right price.

New York pursued Hill two seasons ago, but the 39-year-old opted to stay with the Suns in Phoenix. The Knicks are also considering the Mavericks' Caron Butler and re-signing Shawne Williams as options on the wing.

More from the report:

Suns president Lon Babby told The Arizona Republic that re-signing Hill "is an absolute first order of business and top priority." But Phoenix is on the decline and Hill's closest friend on the team, Steve Nash, is in the final year of his contract and may be traded. If the Knicks' plans for Chris Paul don't come to fruition, Nash could wind up in New York as a free agent next summer to reunite with Hill, Amar'e Stoudemire and Mike D'Antoni.

Interim general manager Glen Grunwald won't have many options in free agency this season, as the Knicks expect to be capped out. But according to the yet-to-be-finalized collective-bargaining agreement, the Knicks will have the full mid-level exception ($5 million) if they want to use it.

As Hahn notes, the Knicks primary goal is to preserve cap space for next season when Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Dwight Howard could all be looking for a new home, and a new Super Team.

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New York Knicks Free Agency Rumors: Jamal Crawford? Kwame Brown?

NBA free agency begins Dec. 9. Rumors are already swirling around the New York Knicks