So much for China.
Metta World Peace has agreed to a two-year deal worth $3.2 million with his hometown New York Knicks. The news was first reported according Yahoo! Sports. The second year is a player option.
World Peace had texted SNY.tv Sunday saying, “I’m going to China.”
Instead, the Queensbridge native and former St. John’s star is coming home to the Knicks, who famously passed on him in the 1999 NBA Draft in favor of Frederic Weis.
“It’s all about the players,” World Peace told reporters at the Las Vegas Summer League Monday about his decision to go to New York, according to USA Today. “The team is amazing. I’m excited to play and hustle. I’m excited to hustle for (Raymond) Felton, for Iman (Shumpert), for Tyson (Chandler), Melo (Anthony), (Amar’e) Stoudemire, coach (Mike Woodson). That’s all it’s about right now. It has nothing to do with New York the city. The only thing that’s important is those players that I will be joining and touching the hardwood with. That’s all that’s important.”
World Peace, 33, said he wasn’t emotionally prepared to play for the Knicks out of college.
“As a young kid, growing up in the Queensbridge projects, whether you’re from Brooklyn or Fort Rock, and you get into a world where you go from having nothing to making a million dollars a year and so many people telling you ‘You’re the best, you’re this, you’re that,’ and you believe that, and you get in trouble,” he said. “And that’s what happens to a young kid when you’re raised in a dysfunctional environment, a dysfunctional neighborhood. And then it takes 10 years for you to realize that you grew up in dysfunction and you’re going to continue to make mistakes if you don’t change. Not change, improve. You never want to change, you just want to improve.”
World Peace said he was looking forward to playing with Anthony, who can now play the four, where he — and the Knicks — had the most success .
“We’re gonna help each other. It’s not about one person helping one person, it’s about us doing it together,” he said. “If I’m not mistaken, they have chemistry and everybody’s seen that.
“I thought they had a lot of injuries this year. I don’t think I’m a missing piece. I’m more honored to be playing with these players. That’s what I really think.”
World Peace was amnestied by the Lakers and his father said his son will want to try and win a title with the Knicks.
“We are definitely excited,” Artest Sr. told SNY.tv Monday. “A lot of people in New York are excited about it. I’ve been getting calls and text mesages about it.”
“Ron has a great work ethic,” his father said. “He wants to take care of business on the court. He won’t be distracted. He’s always talking about winning a championship.
“Every team he’s been on he wants to win a championship. That’s the way his mindset is. He’s going to come to the Knicks and I know he wants to win a championship. Whether it happens or not he’s gonna work hard.”
World Peace averaged 12.4 points and five rebounds last season.
“I like his skill set a lot,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson told ESPNNewYork.com of World Peace. “I think a lot of teams have liked his skill set over the years. He does a little bit of everything.”
Meantime, the Atlanta Hawks announced that they had signed onetime Knicks target and Peekskill, N.Y., native Elton Brand to a one-year deal.
“Elton brings a veteran presence both on and off the court and is a welcomed addition to our locker room,” Hawks GM Danny Ferry said. “His ability to play center or power forward will give our frontcourt a great deal of versatility and we think he will be an outstanding fit to our program.”
Brand, 34, tallied 7.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 assists in 21.2 minutes per game (.473 FG%, .710 FT%) in 72 games (18 starting assignments) last season with the Dallas Mavericks.
