The Phoenix Suns are interested in acquiring Landry Fields in a sign-and-trade with the Knicks for Steve Nash, according to a tweet from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
The Knicks and Raptors both met with Nash on Sunday and New York is exploring ways to give the two-time NBA MVP more than the $3 million mid-level exception they currently have available.
One scenario suggested by Alan Hahn of MSG would be to send the Suns Fields (whose salary is about $2.7 million), Toney Douglas ($2.1 million) and $3 million in cash while cutting ties with centers Dan Gadzuric ($1.9 million) and Jerome Jordan ($760,000).
That would free up cap space for the Knicks to pay Nash, who lives in Greenwich Village during the offseason, somewhere in the neighborhood of $9-10 million annually.
The New York Post also reported Knicks guard Iman Shumpert is in play in a potential sign-and-trade for Nash, 38. Shumpert is recovering from an ACL tear and is not expected back until December or January.
A native Canadian, Nash was reportedly offered a three-year, $36-million deal by the Raptors, but the Post cited a source saying those reports were “false.”
Nash told reporters in New York last week that he was “open to everything.” In New York, he would serve as a mentor to restricted free agent Jeremy Lin, whom the Knicks are expected to re-sign. Nash would join a team that includes Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler and could potentially challenge the NBA champion Miami Heat.
Free agent point guard Deron Williams is expected to choose from between the Brooklyn Nets and the hometown Dallas Mavericks. He will reportedly meet with both teams Monday.
If Williams spurns the hometown Mavericks for the Nets, Dallas could make a push for Nash to join Dirk Nowitzki and the 2011 NBA champs.
