Williams Works Out Today

With various free agents still anxiously awaiting their fates, the Knicks will have yet another meeting with a veteran point guard, Marc Berman reports. This one's a little different, though, as Jason Williams has been out of practice for a year now. Unlike the failed flirtations with Jason Kidd et al., the Knicks are probably in the driver's seat when they meet with "White Chocolate", who's out to prove he can still compete. The 33 year-old will interview and lace up for a workout at the Knicks' Westchester practice facility today. As far as the Ramon Sessions watch goes, Berman emphasizes that these are separate pursuits:

The Knicks' taste for "White Chocolate" is independent of their desire to sign young Bucks point guard Ramon Sessions, 23, whom they view as a point-guard-of-the-future type.

If the Knicks get him for the one-year, veteran's minimum ($1.9 million) or biannual exception ($2.9 million), they likely are through with Robinson. But they are not looking for Williams to be razzle dazzle, just a steady, high-tempo point man lessening the burden on Chris Duhon.

If anything, the Williams' flirtation could be seen as a negotiating tool in the Robinson talks. Donnie Walsh prefers to bring back Robinson on a one-year deal, but could deem Williams as a cheaper option.

Walsh's business strategy is clearly to get his foot in as many doors as possible (a physically impossible metaphor, but cut me some slack) before he cashes in on any particular free agents. Such immovable patience can be frustrating to players and fans alike, and it's especially trying after years of Isiah Thomas playing Telephone Russian Roulette (Rules: You have to say "yes" to every 6th phone call, no matter how potentially damaging the offer). It's certainly a more responsible way of doing business, but one hopes that Donnie's waiting game doesn't cause any of these players to sour on the Knicks entirely. If Ramon Sessions ends up elsewhere, I'm going to bite off my own ear. I'll find a way.

Only complicating matters, our friends at The Knicks Blog are having some ruminations about the consequences of a potential Jason Williams signing. In a couple of posts the notion is mentioned that Williams may be signed with the intention of including him in a trade. As our new friend Gery Woelfel mentions, said trade could very well be what's delaying the Sessions signing- which seemed like it'd be done by this weekend, and even the David Lee signing, which has been at a stalemate all summer.

In the mean time, I guess we'll sit tight. While we wait, I'd like to offer that white chocolate is one of the more underrated confections out there. That stuff is delicious, and I'll admit that I've done some unmentionable things in exchange for white chocolate. Anyway, if you're just biding your time until the Knicks sign some people, why not throw together a nice white chocolate mousse pie?