any updates on the signing

Crawford signs off on Knicks deal

August 5, 2004

BY LACY J. BANKS Staff Reporter Advertisement

After verbally agreeing to a seven-year contract Wednesday that will pay him at least $56 million -- plus a potential $4 million more in bonuses -- Jamal Crawford has paved the way for the Bulls and New York Knicks to finally complete the six-player trade they agreed to in principle Monday night.

Crawford's initial refusal of the contract proposal came close to breaking up what the Bulls thought was a fair offer.

''I say that 'fair' is a relative term,'' said Crawford's agent, Aaron Goodwin. ''Jamal was always looking forward to becoming a New York Knick. But all he did was take time to think about the deal and sleep on it, just as [Bulls operations chief] John Paxson and [Knicks general manager] Isiah Thomas slept on it. Remember, it took six weeks to do this deal.

THE DEAL

THE BULLS GET
Othella Harrington
*30, 6-9, 235, PF, 8 years
2003-04: 4.6 ppg., 3.2 rpg.
Career: 8.1 ppg., 5.0 rpg.
Dikembe Mutombo
*38, 7-1, 261, C, 13 years
2003-04: 5.6 ppg., 6.7 rpg., 1.9 blocks
Career: 11.7 ppg., 11.7 rpg., 3.2 blocks
Frank Williams
*24, 6-3, 210, PG, 2 years
2003-04: 3.9 ppg., 2.2 apg.
Career: 3.2 ppg., 2.0 apg.
Cezary Trybanski
*24, 7-2, 240, C, 2 years
2003-04: 0.1 ppg., 0.1 rpg.
Career: 0.7 ppg., 0.7 rpg.


THE KNICKS GET
Jamal Crawford
*24, 6-5, 190, G, 4 years
2003-04: 17.3 ppg., 3.8 apg., 2.4 rpg.
Career: 11.2 ppg., 3.8 apg., 2.4 rpg.
Jerome Williams
*31, 6-9, 230, F, 8 years
2003-04: 6.2 ppg., 7.0 rpg.
Career: 6.9 ppg., 6.8 rpg.

''But Jamal has accepted the contract offer, and from our perspective, we have a deal. All that we have to do now is sign documents, and I hope to have all that done no later than Friday because I'm going on a vacation next week.''

After Crawford signs, the Bulls will trade him and reserve forward Jerome Williams to the Knicks for forward Othella Harrington, former Illinois guard Frank Williams and centers Dikembe Mutombo and Cezary Trybanski. All of their contracts expire after next season, the stipulation Paxson demanded in order to make the deal.

The trade will excuse the Bulls from paying Crawford's salary, and it will save them $11 million over four years because of the other contracts involved.

The Knicks wanted Crawford as insurance for the physically uncertain Allan Houston. It's possible Crawford will be an expensive backup to Houston at shooting guard and to Stephon Marbury at the point.

There is also talk out of New York that the Knicks are considering acquiring the Toronto Raptors' Vince Carter, possibly for Marbury. That scenario would make Crawford the starting point guard.

''The fact the Knicks gave up a lot to get Jamal shows that they really wanted him badly,'' Goodwin said. ''We greatly appreciate them for making such a tremendous commitment, and they will be rewarded for it by his play.''

One person who won't be happy to see Crawford go is center Eddy Curry, Crawford's best friend on the Bulls.

''Jamal didn't want to be traded, but it's just part of the business,'' Curry said recently. ''You never know when you're going to get traded. So you just have to learn to accept that. But we'll still be good friends.''

A friend of Curry's said Curry is privately upset ''because he believes the Bulls owed it to Jamal to keep him since he led the team in scoring last season, has worked hard and has never caused the team any trouble.''


NOTES: Former Bulls forward Marcus Fizer pleaded guilty to misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon as part of a plea bargain that calls for him to serve 12 months of probation.

*After considering other options, the Bulls will conduct their entire training camp at the Berto Center.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/bulls/cst-spt-bull05.html