Knicks to make offer to Sessions today, as MIL looks at Warrick

mafra

Legend
ESPN Article:

There were strong indications Thursday night that the New York Knicks were assembling the final details of an offer sheet they believe will ultimately land Milwaukee Bucks restricted free agent Ramon Sessions.

Terms of the proposed deal were not immediately available, but NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that the Bucks were indeed bracing for the offer sheet and also more likely to pool the free-agent cash they're prepared to spend this summer to try to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers to the signature of athletic power forward Hakim Warrick rather than matching what's coming to Sessions from the Knicks.

One trusted source insists that the Knicks believe they can extend Sessions far enough to dissuade Milwaukee from matching but without affecting their well-chronicled strategy to leave enough salary-cap space to recruit one maximum-salaried free agent in the summer of 2010. An offer sheet to a restricted free agent must be for at least two years, but it remains unclear how much of New York's $5.9 million mid-level exception Sessions would receive.

Committing the next two seasons (or more) to Sessions, after fruitless free-agent flirtations with Jason Kidd and Grant Hill earlier this month, becomes easier for the Knicks to stomach if restricted free agents David Lee and Nate Robinson indeed return on one-year contracts bumped into the $6 million range. Lee and Robinson would thus become unrestricted free agents next summer while helping the Knicks maintain maximum flexibility.

ESPN.com reported earlier Thursday evening that Warrick, who was transformed from a restricted free agent to an unrestricted free agent last week when the Grizzlies withdrew their qualifying offer, was deciding between Cleveland, Philadelphia and Milwaukee and preparing to choose his new team as early as Friday.

He averaged 11.6 points and 5.0 rebounds last season for the Grizz. If the Cavs could add Warrick to Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon -- with their $2 million bi-annual exception to offer, as Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer helpfully reminds -- that would be three interesting bargains to supplement their trade for Shaquille O'Neal and the pricey re-signing of Anderson Varejao.

Outbidding Cleveland for Warrick, though, would still be far cheaper for the Bucks than trying to win the Sessions game. Milwaukee would still have rookie Brandon Jennings and Luke Ridnour at point guard if the Warrick-over-Sessions signals prove true.

Although the Los Angeles Clippers continue to prefer Sessions over Allen Iverson and other combo guards they've looked at, L.A. expects Sessions to favor signing with the Knicks because he's a lock to start in New York and highly likely to get more money there, too. He'd be a third guard in L.A. behind Baron Davis and Eric Gordon.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&page=Chatter-090730
 

Bernard_King

Benchwarmer
I'am worred about signing Sessions to a 4-5 year deal, as he could turn into a bust at that price 7 length of a contract. Remember the hype of Jerome James & Jeffries signings in the past? On the flip side, he is a pass first point guard and has speed to burn pushing the ball upcourt. I also feel he has the tools on the defense side of the ball to be a good defender. Plus D'Antoni feels, he a great fit for his system.
 

NYK4Life

Rookie
Warrick agrees to join Bucks
By Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel
July 31, 2009 10:51 a.m.

Hakim Warrick, an athletic 6-foot-9 forward who played the past four seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, has reached agreement with the Bucks on a one-year deal, sources indicated Friday.

Warrick averaged 11.6 points and 5.0 rebounds while appearing in all 82 games for the Grizzlies last season, primarily in a bench role.

The Grizzlies withdrew their qualifying offer to Warrick last week, making him an unrestricted free agent. A number of teams showed interest in Warrick, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Bobcats.

Warrick is able to play both the small forward and power forward positions and should have an opportunity to start for the Bucks, who have lost Richard Jefferson (in a trade) and Charlie Villanueva (to free agency) this summer.

The former Syracuse star joins Amir Johnson and Ersan Ilyasova at the power forward position. The Bucks also have second-year players Joe Alexander and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who can play both forward spots.

Warrick was the 19th overall pick by the Grizzlies in the 2005 draft after starring at Syracuse. He has played in 307 NBA games, including 82 starts, and has averaged 10.2 points and 4.3 rebounds.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported the Cavaliers had made an offer to a free agent forward, thought to be Warrick, with the team's biannual exception of $2 million.

Warrick played four years at Syracuse and was a member of the Orange's NCAA championship team during his sophomore season. He blocked a three-point attempt to preserve Syracuse's victory over Kansas in the NCAA title game.

He started a career-high 43 games with Memphis in 2006-'07, and that same season he had a 31-point, 13-rebound effort in a game against the Bucks in Milwaukee.

The Bucks also are expected to complete a trade with Denver, one first reported last week. Milwaukee will send veteran power forward Malik Allen to the Nuggets in exchange for guard Sonny Weems and forward Walter Sharpe.

The trade is primarily to clear a roster spot and should result in a savings of about $500,000 for the Bucks.

Meanwhile, the New York Knicks are reported to be readying an offer sheet to Ramon Sessions, the Bucks' restricted free agent point guard.

The Knicks have weighed several options at point guard, including veteran Allen Iverson and unrestricted free agent Jamaal Tinsley. Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni is said to prefer Sessions, however.
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/52196297.html

That's great news for us. Looks like we might be able to get Sessions at a lower price than the full MLE. I doubt the Bucks will dip into their luxury tax when they just drafted Jennings and when they already have Ridnour and Bell on the roster. Sessions to the Knicks is looking promising and I think it's a great pickup for us if we get him.
 
Looks like D'antoni beat out Donnie on this one.

By looking at the Bucks roster (most of whom I've never heard of before), I think I've found a team we can beat this year!
 

SSj4Wingzero

All Star
Yeah, this is good news for us. Now that the Bucks went after Warrick, matching our offer for Sessions would mean going over the luxury tax. Not really worth it when you have two guards capable of playing the point and just drafted Brandon Jennings
 
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