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As we were told heading into the moratorium period, the Knicks plan to meet with Joakim Noah Friday in Orlando. Well before that meeting, details of a contract framework started to leak, getting steeper and steeper with each report:
Vertical Sources: Joakim Noah and the New York Knicks are in discussions on the framework of a deal in range of four years, $70M-plus.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2016
The Knicks and Noah plan to meet in Orlando on Friday to continue negotiations, sources tell The Vertical. Framework needs to be finalized.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2016
Joakim Noah will meet with the Knicks Friday in Orlando. Sides nearing agreement on a 4-year deal worth $72 million, sources said
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) July 1, 2016
The Joakim Noah-to-NY deal isn't done, but I'm told the fourth year of the $72 mil deal - as currently discussed - would be guaranteed.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 1, 2016
Yeah. As described, that would not be a team-friendly deal, years-wise. That'd be giving a guy 4 guaranteed years when there's no word of anyone else offering him ... well, anything, and setting that guy up to make like 1/5 of the salary cap when he's 35 and Carmelo Anthony's contract is already over. Not ideal. Also not done -- not like Timofey Mozgov's agreement with the Lakers is. We'll see what we hear when the parties actually meet. Don't freak out yet. Those rumors could very well be coming from just one side of the negotiating table. Like ...
"We're not there yet,'' one NBA source told The Post early Friday morning.
"We." Anyway, waiting on that one.
Next thing! Shams Charania reported on the Vertical live show that the Knicks' backcourt priority is Courtney Lee. They called him as soon as possible, and it looks like they'll try to meet with him todaymorrow:
Courtney Lee's first call after free agency started was from the New York Knicks. Phil Jackson called him, according to league source.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 1, 2016
I'm told the Knicks are trying to set up a meeting with Courtney Lee.
— Al Iannazzone (@Al_Iannazzone) July 1, 2016
If Lee's as serious as the Knicks are, that'll be something to juggle with Noah's contract.
More meetings (or at least conversations) were rumored -- Austin Rivers, Evan Turner, Nicolas Batum, Jamal Crawford -- but those two appear to be the big ones.
Meanwhile:
OKC, MIN, ATL were among teams who contacted Lance Thomas. Galloway also heard from several teams. More: https://t.co/3jZTCK4wdT
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) July 1, 2016
I must sleep. I'll see you in the morning.