Mavs waive Courtney Lee
JD Shaw: The Mavericks have waived veteran guard Courtney Lee, the team announced.
NBA Rumor: Courtney Lee Free Agency
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Courtney Lee returning to Dallas
Tim MacMahon: Sources: Mavs plan to sign Courtney Lee to replace J.J. Barea on camp roster. Like Barea, Lee was considered a leader and great vet in Dallas locker room despite not being in regular rotation last season. Mavs value that kind of presence even though Lee is roster long shot.
Tim MacMahon: For the 35-year-old Lee, it’s an opportunity to prove he’s healthy after sitting out the restart due to a calf injury and work against NBA competition while he looks to catch on with another team. Plus, he gets to crack jokes with his boys.
Mavs keeping injured Courtney Lee on roster?
Brad Townsend: I’m told Mavs have no plans to waive Courtney Lee, despite calf injury that required season-ending surgery. Ideally they want Lee in Orlando. He’s a respected locker room guy, perhaps most importantly by Luka Doncic. If Lee remains on roster, no addition, including Broekhoff.
One obvious possibility to replace Lee is Ryan Broekhoff, who was waived by the Mavericks on Feb. 11 to make room for the signing of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist after Kidd-Gilchrist was waived by Charlotte. Broekhoff and wife Katie and 1-year-old son Jackson still live in Dallas. Broekhoff reportedly in recent weeks has received interest from teams in Greece and Russia.
Kennedy: Did any of the players on the Knicks recruit you as you were weighing your options? Lee: “Before free agency, I was talking with Noah and it’s great seeing how passionate he is. This offseason, he’s getting out of breath just being on the phone – like he’s running sprints – but it’s because he’s talking about the city, talking about the fans, talking about the team and talking about everything we can accomplish together. He’s excited and he was recruiting me pretty much the entire time, telling me that I was the missing piece and what not. He kept telling me, ‘Let’s get it done!’ Noah was in my ear a lot.”
Alex Kennedy: You told me that the Knicks were the first team to show interest in you, with Phil Jackson contacting you shortly after free agency started. What was it like receiving that call? Courtney Lee: “Man, hearing from Phil and it being the Knicks, it was an incredible feeling. It took me back to all of the things that Phil has accomplished, and it also took me all the way back to my childhood because I grew up in Indianapolis so I used to always watch the Pacers and Knicks battle against each other. It just brought back so many memories. For them to be the first team to call me, it was a good feeling. I mean, it’s Phil Jackson. It’s New York. You’re playing in the Mecca.”
Ian Begley: Courtney Lee posts a photo of the Knicks’ new starting five on Instagram: instagram.com/p/BHYPq56jHey/
Ian Begley: The Courtney Lee deal “would not have happened without Joakim Noah,” a source close to Lee says. Lee had several offers to decide from and chose New York in part because of Noah’s recruitment. “Courtney understands what playing for the New York Knicks means,” a source close to Lee says. “He wanted to play in New York and Joakim Noah was instrumental in recruiting him. Would not have happened without Joakim. Courtney couldn’t be more excited.”
Sam Amick: Confirming Courtney Lee to the Knicks, four years, nearly $50 million. @Alex Kennedy first reported.
Ian Begley: Update: Courtney Lee’s deal with the Knicks is fully guaranteed, in the neighborhood of $48 million over four years, sources say.
Michael Scotto: Knicks and Courtney Lee agree to a 4-year, $48 million deal, per league source. Deal fully guaranteed with no options. @Alex Kennedy 1st.
Knicks to sign Courtney Lee
Ian Begley: Phil Jackson said that there are ways in which the Knicks can free up more cap space to sign players. He’s likely referring to trading a player on the roster to a team that can absorb his salary into cap space. This would free up some more money for New York and my guess is that the Knicks may have to use this mechanism to sign Courtney Lee. They’ve offered Lee a four-year deal that’s north of $10 million annually, according to sources. Lee has other offers, which are likely more lucrative, and he is considering them. Members of the organization – including Joakim Noah – would love to have Lee in New York, sources say.
Ian Begley: The Knicks’ offer to Courtney Lee is north of $10 million per year for 4 years, per sources. Many in the Knicks organization would love to see Lee sign, but New York will have competition from teams that can probably offer a contract with a higher annual value. Lee is considering other offers. After signing Joakim Noah, the Knicks project to have at least $12 million in cap space. That cap space can increase, of course, if they trade a player to a team that has enough cap space to absorb the contract.
Alex Kennedy: Sources: Add the Sixers to the list of teams interested in Courtney Lee. The Knicks, Kings, Nets and Wolves also want him.
Also on the list of players the Wolves have expressed interest in are former Wolves guard Randy Foye, reserve Brooklyn center Willie Reed, shooting guard Courtney Lee, former Hopkins and Gophers star forward Kris Humphries, guard Jamal Crawford, forward/center Brandon Bass and center Ian Mahinmi. Most of those players would add depth and bench strength to the Wolves.
David Aldridge: Courtney Lee sifting through other offers after Knicks offer four years. He would be really good fit in New York w/Rose, Melo, Porzingis.
Marc Stein: ESPN sources say the Knicks have made a four-year offer to Courtney Lee, but Lee has a variety of suitors and is working through the options
Alex Kennedy: Sources: In addition to the Knicks and Kings, Courtney Lee has received interest from the Nets, Wolves and Hawks (if Kent Bazemore leaves).
Alex Kennedy: Along with interest from the Knicks, Courtney Lee is receiving serious interest from the Kings too. Sacramento reached out tonight.
Tim MacMahon: Shooting guard Courtney Lee is getting early interest from the Knicks and Kings, a league source said.
The Vertical: Shams Charania: Courtney Lee set to meet with Knicks on Friday morning.
Marc Berman: As expected, #Knicks reached out to Courtney Lee to be starting SG, and Austin Rivers, backup PG. Rivers’ price tag won’t be crazy.
Alex Kennedy: Courtney Lee’s first call after free agency started was from the New York Knicks. Phil Jackson called him, according to league source.
James Ham: The Kings, from what I know, are targeting Courtney Lee. They love Courtney Lee. They love what he brought to the end of the season to the Charlotte Hornets.
Eight-year NBA veteran Courtney Lee is undeniably on the verge of the biggest payday of his career. Fresh off of a four-year, $21.3 million contract that ended with the Charlotte Hornets, the versatile shooting guard could garner somewhere around to $11-14 million per year on the open market, according to NBA sources.
Now, if that sounds like a lot of money to you (and yes, it is a lot of money), consider the league’s new multi-billion-dollar television deal will ramp up each team’s salary cap from $70 million this past year to an estimated $92 million in 2016-17, and then a whopping $107 million in 2017-18. So it’s not just Lee who’s about to get paid. A bunch of free agents are about to get a whole lot richer. “It’s going to be eye-opening,” Lee told Basketball Insiders. “I don’t think people understand how much money is involved with this new TV deal.”
Courtney Lee, Marvin Williams and Al Jefferson also indicated their desire to return to the Hornets as well, but it remains unclear if general manager Rich Cho can — or even wants to — bring everyone back for another run at the playoffs or if he’ll look in a different direction to upgrade.
April 10, 2021 | 2:50 pm EDT Update
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