ORLANDO, Fla. — The Knicks were in the market for a backup point guard who could also slide in and start and found that player in Brandon Jennings.
The Knicks came to terms on a deal with Jennings, according to multiple league sources. Jennings will get a one-year, $5-million deal, a source said. He later tweeted he would be a member of the Knicks.
“Can’t wait to play in the Mecca!! Excited to be joining such a historic franchise,” Jennings wrote Monday afternoon.
The Knicks can’t announce any signings until the moratorium ends Thursday, but this could be a good, under-the-radar signing for a team that has been very busy and productive during this free-agent negotiation period.
They’ve already reached deals for starting center Joakim Noah and shooting guard Courtney Lee. Jennings give the Knicks a talented player off the bench to spell Derrick Rose or play alongside him. Jennings is only 26, and has career averages of 15.5 points and 5.9 assists.
Injuries have slowed Jennings the last couple of seasons, but he was an explosive player when he first came into the league in 2009. Jennings averaged at least 15.5 points his first five seasons, playing for the Bucks and Pistons. He scored 55 points as a rookie against Golden State.
Jennings tore his Achilles in January 2015 and didn’t return until midway through the 2015-16 season. He was traded from Detroit to Orlando for Long Island native Tobias Harris in February. Jennings averaged 7.0 points and 4.0 assists in 25 games for Orlando.
The Knicks were estimated to be around $3 million under the cap, so they likely will have to renounce some of their own free agents to fit Jennings. This gives the Knicks eight players under contract. They still hope to keep Lance Thomas and Langston Galloway. They can go over the cap to re-sign them.
..... - Newsday