With training camp on the brink of opening Friday, the Knicks have somehow vaulted ahead of the Golden State Warriors into the lead to land 7-foot-1 center Tyson Chandler of the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks.
“New York is Tyson’s first choice,” one source told ESPN.com, confirming a Thursday report from Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
“It’s 98 percent sure that Tyson is going to wind up with the Knicks.”
To afford Chandler, the Knicks will reportedly dump the contracts of Chauncey Billups ($14.2 million) and Ronny Turiaf ($4.4 million) via either trades or the new amnesty clause.
CSNBayArea.com reported that the Warriors are trying to enhance a four-year offer to Chandler valued at $60 million to outbid the Knicks.
New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul has expressed an interest in playing with his former teammate Chandler, but the Knicks cannot afford to sign Paul in free agency unless they were to trade either Amar’e Stoudemire or Carmelo Anthony.
Chandler, 29, was third in the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year voting last year when he averaged 10.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks.
