Uhhhh what?! While we know “sources” aren’t always right, we heard multiple reports last night that JR Smith & the Knicks were close on a 4-year deal. Well Papa Smith has jumped in the mix and said something a little bit different.
Details after the jump…
Via Ian Begley at ESPN:
With the New York Knicks working feverishly to complete a contract agreement with free-agent guard J.R. Smith, Smith’s father, Earl, said Wednesday night that his son was still weighing his options and is expected to make a decision by Friday.
“It’s not about who is offering, but it’s about where he’s going to be comfortable,” Earl Smith Sr. said in a phone interview.
A league source confirmed the Knicks were working “all day” Wednesday to try to finalize a contract for Smith, but nothing was agreed upon as of Wednesday night.
Both Yahoo! Sports and the New York Daily News reported the Knicks were finalizing details on a contract for Smith. The New York Daily News reported that Smith and the Knicks were closing in on a contract worth $24 million over four years.
Signings can’t become official until the league-wide moratorium is lifted on July 10.
Smith Sr. said J.R. Smith has drawn interest from other teams. A league source said Milwaukee, Detroit and Dallas were among those to show interest in Smith earlier in the week.
The Bucks reportedly made an offer to swingman O.J. Mayo, which would, in theory, rule Smith out of their plans. All three teams are under the salary cap and can make stronger offers than the Knicks.
The Knicks can offer Smith a contract starting at approximately $5.5 million per season with standard raises over four years, using the Early Bird exception.
Another option for the Knicks would be to sign Smith to a two-year contract with an option for the second season. This would give them Smith’s full Bird Rights if the guard decided to opt out next summer.
(Story Continues…)
