Free agent shooting guard Arron Afflalo has signed a 2-year, $16 million dollar deal with the New York Knicks, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. The second year of the deal is a player option.
Arron Afflalo agrees to 2-year, $16 million contract with Knicks
New York picks up a defense-first wing who can also give Carmelo Anthony some scoring help.
Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Afflalo opted out of a $7.75 million player option with the Trail Blazers for next season in order to hit unrestricted free agency this summer. Originally signed to a five-year deal by the Denver Nuggets in 2011, he was traded three times over the life of the deal -- first to the Orlando Magic in 2012, then back to Denver in 2014, then to the Portland Trail Blazers in February.
Afflalo never quite settled in with the Trail Blazers before suffering a shoulder injury that limited him during the team's first-round playoff loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. A year after averaging over 18 points per game on 46 percent shooting as the leading scorer in Orlando, Afflalo put up just 13 points on 42 percent shooting during the season split between Denver and Portland.
The Knicks finally get on the board with the acquisition of Afflalo, having been considered a top choice for him early on. New York desperately needs talent around Carmelo Anthony after a disastrous 2014-15. Afflalo is immediately the team’s second-best player, and his contract is a relative song. That said, he can become a free agent in 2016, so it may be a short-lived marriage.
See More:
