The New York Knicks have agreed to sign unrestricted free agent shooting guard Courtney Lee to a deal worth $50 million over four years. The contract cannot officially be signed until the end of the NBA’s moratorium period on July 7th.
Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders broke the news on Saturday evening:
Courtney Lee has agreed to a four-year, $50 million deal with the Knicks.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 2, 2016
Report: Courtney Lee Agrees to Contract with New York Knicks
Lee’s contract will take him through the end of the 2019-20 season. No player or team options in the deal have been disclosed yet, if any exist.
Lee averaged 9.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game last season for the Charlotte Hornets. He is very consistent; when you compare his career numbers to the numbers he tallied last season, they are almost identical. Lee played 79 games last season, split between two teams. Beginning the season with the Memphis Grizzlies, Lee was traded to the Hornets, where he went on to start all 28 games in which he played. Lee and his new team made the playoffs for the first time since the 2013-14 season, but the Hornets didn’t last long in the postseason, as the team was beaten by the Miami Heat in the first round, losing the series 4-3.
Looking forward, Lee provides the ability to score from mid and three-point range, which will certainly benefit New York, as shooting from behind the arc is becoming more and more important in the modern NBA. When healthy, Lee is capable of providing quality minutes either as a starter or coming off the bench. Finding Lee’s ideal role will be key to him being successful with the Knicks, whether it’s coming off the bench or starting. Either way, Lee should do a good job contributing towards New York’s playoff aspirations during the 2016-17 season. Lee steps right into the hole that Arron Afflalo left on the wing for the Knicks, as Afflalo signed with the Sacramento Kings earlier on Saturday.
Lee is heading into his eighth season in the NBA, and will be 31 years old when the new season begins. Lee has plenty of experience, having played for six NBA teams. He’s spent time with Charlotte, Memphis, the Boston Celtics, the Houston Rockets, the New Jersey Nets, and the Orlando Magic. Lee was selected 22nd overall by the Magic in the 2008 NBA Draft.
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