ORLANDO, Fla. — The Knicks filled their need for a starting shooting guard and rounded out their first unit by reaching an agreement with veteran Courtney Lee.
“I’m just happy to be a part of the Mecca,” Lee said in a text Saturday.
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Lee will get a four-year, $48 million deal, a league source said. Teams can’t sign players or announce deals until the free-agent moratorium is lifted on July 7.
Knicks president Phil Jackson and general manager Steve Mills have been very productive the first two days of free agency. They locked up center Joakim Noah for four years, and $72 million Friday and came to terms with Lee Saturday evening.
The Knicks now have a starting five of Derrick Rose, Lee, Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis and Noah. If that group can stay healthy, they should be good enough to compete for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks haven’t reached the postseason the past three years.
Lee, 30, is a solid professional and plays both ends of the court.
The 6-5 guard has averaged 9.6 points while shooting 45 percent from the field and 38.4 percent from three-point range in eight seasons. Lee, a one-time Net, averaged 9.6 points for the Grizzlies and Hornets last season.
The Knicks also were strongly considering Eric Gordon, who signed Saturday with the Rockets. But Gordon isn’t as durable as Lee. Gordon hasn’t played more than 65 games since his rookie season in 2008-09. Lee, drafted the same year by Orlando, has missed 40 games in his career.
There is still plenty of work for the Knicks to do. This move gives them seven players under contact. Kyle O’Quinn and Justin Holiday, acquired in the Rose deal, are the other two.
The Knicks still have eight roster spots to fill, and have used up most of the roughly $31 million they had available in free agency on Noah and Lee. The Knicks can also use the room exception ($2.898 million) to sign players.
..... - Newsday