The Knicks are now the frontrunner to sign free agent point guard Steve Nash, according to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
According to the report, the Knicks would sign the two-time NBA MVP to a three-year deal worth between $27-$30 million and would have to sacrifice highly regarded guard Iman Shumpert along with Toney Douglas and Dan Gadzuric to Phoenix in a sign-and trade.
Nash, 38, would effectively give the Knicks a “Big Four” of himself, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler. Nash and Stoudemire played together in Phoenix.
Nash told the New York Post last week he would meet with the Knicks, and then he went ahead and met with them.
“I would think [yes],’’ Nash told the Post. “I’ll meet with them if they’re interested. We’ll see what happens Sunday. I’m looking forward to what teams are interested and what they have to say. I haven’t been able to sit down and talk with teams. Sunday, I’ll get a chance to meet with some teams and see what happens. I don’t necessary want to visit every team. I just want to talk and hear what they have to say.’’
Shumpert was the No. 17 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and was the team’s best perimeter defender before tearing his ACL against the Miami Heat in the playoffs. He is not expected back until December or January.
Nash lives in Greenwich Village during the offseason and hosted a charity soccer event in New York last week.
He has repeatedly said he would be open to playing for the Knicks and wouldn’t mind backing up Jeremy Lin. Lin was to meet with the Houston Rockets Wednesday.
Ironically, the Knicks parted ways with Nash’s former coach, Mike D’Antoni, in March and he was replaced by Mike Woodson.
The Toronto Raptors attempted to foil the Knicks hopes of a sign-and-trade by signing Landry Fields to an offer sheet worth $20 million over three years, but that has apparently not deterred the Knicks from going ahead with plans to add Nash.
