David Lee News: Pro Sports Daily

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October 16

New York Post

"Danilo Gallinari and the Knicks have shot about as well as a group of elementary school kids this preseason. Their well-chronicled struggles from the floor have them shooting just 37 percent as a team, and a miserable 24 percent from three-point land. But their sorry shooting is not even the biggest problem the team faces going into tonight's exhibition game with the Nets at the Garden (7:30; MSG). After all, this year's group is essentially the same as last year's team which shot 45 percent from the field and 36 percent from 3-point land despite the early season trades of Zach Randolph and sharpshooter Jamal Crawford in moves to dump salary. So fans can reasonably expect the Knicks, who ..."

Lee, Krypto-Nate stick with Knicks

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September 25

New York Post

"Credit Donnie Walsh for this one. The Knicks president got his men -- David Lee and Nate Robinson -- for one-year deals, at fair market value and with his 2010 cap space untouched. Lee joined Robinson in the fold yesterday by agreeing to a one-year, $7.5 million deal. There is an incentive clause for $500,000 if the Knicks make the playoffs, which likely is not happening. Lee will sign the contract today -- three days before the Knicks open training camp and avoiding the ugly specter of a holdout. On Wednesday, Robinson, their other restricted free agent, also reached a verbal agreement with the Knicks on a one-year deal for more than the $2.9 million qualifier, believed to be in excess of ..."

David Lee and Knicks agree to one-year, $7 million deal

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September 25

New York Daily News

"It wasn't exactly the lucrative contract David Lee was hoping to land, but in the end, his one-year contract was far more lucrative than the Knicks were required to pay. Lee's drawn out free agency ended Thursday when the veteran power forward agreed to a $7 million contract, according to his agent, Mark Bartelstein. Lee's qualifying offer was $2.6 million. The Knicks did not have to increase the deal since Lee failed to sign an offer sheet with another club after he became a restricted free agent on July 1st. If Lee signed an offer sheet, the Knicks would have been given seven days to match any deal. Lee was looking for a long-term contract worth approximately $12 million annually. Under ..."

Lee, Knicks reach 1-year deal

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September 25

New York Post

"Knicks power forward David Lee reached a verbal agreement on a one-year, $8 million deal this afternoon that includes a $500,000 incentive clause for making the playoffs, his agent told The Post tonight. Lee will sign the contract Friday, three days before the Knicks open training camp and avoid the spectre of a holdout. Yesterday, restricted free agent Nate Robinson also reached a verbal agreement with the Knicks on a one-year deal for more than the $2.9M qualifier, believed to be in excess of $4M. "We got a deal done,'' Lee's agent Mark Bartelstein told The Post tonight. "It took a long time and we went through a lot of things but both sides are comfortable. It was very unique ..."

Knicks Reach 1-Year Deal With Lee

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September 25

New York Times

"After a frustrating summer of free-agent purgatory, David Lee finally has a deal to return to the Knicks, albeit for less money and less long-term security than he wanted. Lee agreed to terms Thursday on a one-year contract worth up to $8 million, according to his agent Mark Bartelstein. The Knicks declined to comment, but all indications are that the deal will be completed Friday - four days before training camp begins. "I'm excited to be in New York," Lee said Thursday night in a telephone interview. "That's what I set out to do in the first place." Nate Robinson, the Knicks' other high-profile free agent, also has agreed to a one-year deal, which should be finalized soon."

Knicks, Nate near deal; Lee a holdout?

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September 24

New York Post

"While Knicks guard Nate Robinson is close to signing a one-year deal for more than the $2.9 million qualifying offer, the real story is David Lee's situation, which is a lot less certain just four days before training camp opens in Saratoga. According to a source, Robinson could ink a one-year contract after agreeing to major portions of a incentive-laden deal. A source with intimate knowledge of the situation said the deal still must be finalized but could be signed today or tomorrow. Knicks officials are confident they also will ink Lee to a one-year deal before Monday's camp. But his agent, Mark Bartelstein, stopped short of saying that, raising the specter of a holdout. Robinson had ..."

Knicks close to inking David Lee and Nate Robinson to one-year deals

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September 22

New York Daily News

"The Knicks are working toward finalizing one-year contracts for David Lee and Nate Robinson. "I don't want to say that we're close but we're trying to get something done," Knicks president Donnie Walsh said Monday. Lee and Robinson are restricted free agents who both have the option of signing offer sheets with other clubs. The Knicks would have seven days to match the offers. Instead, they figure to sign one-year contracts with the Knicks, which would make them unrestricted free agents next July 1."

Knicks president Donnie Walsh thinks David Lee, Nate Robinson will re-sign

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September 2

New York Daily News

"Knicks president Donnie Walsh is confident that both David Lee and Nate Robinson will re-sign with the club before training camp opens later this month. "Things are moving along," Walsh said Tuesday. "Nothing is imminent, but the talks have been good." Lee and Robinson are restricted free agents, and Walsh has said repeatedly that he wants to retain both players. Lee had hoped to get a long-term contract worth between $10 million and $12 million annually, either with the Knicks or another team. Instead, he'll likely have to settle for a one-year contract with the Knicks worth approximately $7 million. Robinson's one-year contract could be worth as much as $5 million. Those deals would ..."

David Lee Could Hold Out of Knicks Camp

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August 28

New York Post

"The agent for David Lee would not rule out the possibility of his client being an unsigned contract holdout when Knicks training camp opens Sept. 28. In the NBA, it is almost unheard-of for players of Lee's stature to be camp holdouts. "I certainly hope not, but you have to have an agreement," agent Mark Bartelstein told The Post yesterday. "I never thought we'd be this far without a deal. It comes down to making a deal. You have to ask [team president] Donnie [Walsh]." "All we've agreed is if we can't do a sign-and-trade, we will work out a reasonable one-year deal," Bartelstein said. Walsh did not return phone calls. Bartelstein said Lee will not accept the $2.5 million qualifying offer ..."

Rumor: Boozer to Knicks for David Lee

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July 25

The Deseret News

"Could Carlos Boozer end up in a New York Knicks uniform? A scenario is reportedly being considered by the Knicks in which the team would sign restricted free-agent forward David Lee and then send him off to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Boozer, according to a story published by Newsday. Lee acknowledged feeling frustrated by the fact he remains unsigned by New York so deep into the free agency period. "With the four years of hard work I've put in, I'm just frustrated this thing hasn't gotten done yet with the Knicks," Lee told Newsday. "It's been frustrating enough that it has caused us now to kind of look at other options." The Knicks have not made offers to either Lee or their other ..."

David Lee doesn't see long stint in New York in his future

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July 24

New York Daily News

"David Lee's carefully crafted image is that of a hard-working New Yorker, a guy who punches the time clock and puts in an honest day's work. Except, of course, Lee doesn't want to be paid like a grunt worker. Instead, New York's "everyman" is asking for $10 million to $12 million a year, and Thursday the restricted free agent forward expressed frustration that he has yet to reach a contract agreement with the Knicks. "I played 81 games out of 82 last year, gave it everything I had to the team," Lee told reporters in Las Vegas, where he was attending a Team USA practice. "So that's what's been the most frustrating (thing), that it wasn't just an easier fix after what I think I've meant to ..."

Knicks' Lee 'Frustrated' By Slow Contract Talks

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July 24

New York Post

"Twenty three days into his free agency, David Lee seemed as hot as the Las Vegas sun. Lee, who is attending the U.S. Olympic mini-camp but not participating because of his unresolved contract, let loose his "frustration" at being nowhere close to a deal with the Knicks. "I've been frustrated a little bit by the amount of effort put in and it's been tough," Lee told reporters in Vegas. "I figured with what I've done for the Knicks the last four years and with what they've done for me, and being a fan favorite and being somebody that loves New York as much as I have the last four years, I thought something would get done a little quicker. "We would have loved to make the playoffs last year, ..."

Walsh Lee-ry of David A$k

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July 18

New York Post

"Knicks team president Donnie Walsh predicted negotiations with David Lee will come to a head early next week, and indications were Lee will either sign an offer sheet with the Trail Blazers or settle for the Knicks' five-year offer, which agent Mark Bartelstein still believes is below Lee's market value. If Portland doesn't come through and Lee still doesn't accept the Knicks' proposal, Walsh could pull the offer off the table next week. "It probably will be next week, the way Mark talks," Walsh said. "My feeling is one way or another. He's looking to get an offer sheet that reflects David's value. I hope he doesn't so I can get him at the value I think he's at. There's a disparity.""

Knicks' Lee doesn't pick up an offer sheet

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July 9

Newsday

"The Raptors are trying to keep a potential free agent in 2010, so they're on a spending spree this summer to convince Chris Bosh to stay in Toronto. One of the pieces to a roster they hope will entice Bosh to re-sign is center Andrea Bargnani, who yesterday signed a five-year, $50-million contract extension. Bargnani wasn't even due for a new deal until after next season. The Knicks are in a different position, as they are trying to maintain as much salary-cap space as possible to entice potential free agents such as Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, to come to New York next summer. And that means a player who is seemingly an important piece for building a team that attracts high-end ..."

David May Lee-ve the Big Apple

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July 4

New York Post

"Hedo Turkoglu has backed out of negotiations with the Blazers, which could pave the way for David Lee to Portland. "We had been talking, but we'll talk now," Lee's agent Mark Bartlestein told The Post last night. Turkoglu reportedly agreed to terms with Portland early yesterday on a $10 million per year deal, then ended negotiations and was said to be Toronto-bound, according to ESPN.com. The Blazers have long lusted after Lee, who also seeks $10 million per season, exactly the amount the Blazers are under the cap. Bartlestein said because Lee is restricted, the Blazers were fearful of waiting 10 days to see if the Knicks would match and instead jumped at the surer thing in Turkoglu. ..."

Raps setting their sights on Knicks' big man Lee

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July 2

Toronto Star

"The Raptors are widening their NBA free-agent search that now includes one of the more intriguing players on the market. Capping a whirlwind 24 hours to open the negotiating period, league sources say Toronto is trying to obtain David Lee, an energetic rebounder who is a New York Knicks restricted free agent. The sources couldn't say whether the move on Lee would be a straight offer or whether it would be a sign-and-trade transaction with any of Toronto's current free agents. Lee's name is added to a list that began with Charlie Villanueva – who ultimately signed a five-year, $40 million deal with the Detroit Pistons – and Denver's Linas Kleiza, a solid if unspectacular part not in the ..."

Lee's agent: No discount

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June 30

Bergen Record

"David Lee insists he wants to stay in New York, but not enough, according to his agent, to accept a "hometown discount" when negotiations begin Wednesday. "They've kind of had a home-team discount the last four years," agent Mark Bartelstein said Monday of the Knicks, chuckling from his Chicago office. "He was the 30th pick of the draft, so they've had a great discount for the last four years." Lee averaged slightly more than $1 million a season via the predetermined rookie salary scale for the final first-round pick since the Knicks chose him in 2005. Although he and Bartelstein won't specify an asking price, they're expected to seek eight to 10 times higher, whomever the suitor. The ..."

Lee Gets USA Shot

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June 12

New York Post

"Late July may be a bittersweet time for Knicks fans. Free agent David Lee may or may not be a member of the Knicks, but he will be part of the U.S. Olympic Basketball program when it holds a mini-camp July 22-25 in Las Vegas, according an industry source. Lee will be among 24 players to participate in the mini-camp -- auditioning for the vacant spots on the 2012 Olympic Team that will defend its gold medal in London. The participants will be announced next week. Before the camp, USA Basketball is expected to hold a press conference that could elevate Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni to the Olympic head-coaching position. Reigning coach Mike Krzyzewski said Wednesday he will make his final ..."