Knicks couldn’t offer Alan Williams, so he made a music video in Suns return
Jul 10, 2017, 10:27 AM | Updated: 11:33 am
I'm staying home, Phoenix!!! 🙌🏾https://t.co/VaxZQ0zYLF pic.twitter.com/vu2wEKjFYx
— BigSauce (@alantwilliams) July 10, 2017
Classic Knicks.
Arguably the NBA’s most dysfunctional franchise reportedly showed interest in restricted free agent Alan Williams, but at some point, it appears the hometown Phoenix favorite felt more love from the Suns.
Williams re-signed with Phoenix on a three-year, $17 million dollar deal.
Based on all the information out there, New York took so long — 10 days to be exact — to offer Williams that he had enough time to put together an entire music video announcing his return to Phoenix with the help of Suns.com and local rapper Futuristic.
Don’t believe that?
Well, the New York media sure is spinning it that way.
ESPN’s Ian Begley reported that the Knicks’ signing of free agent Tim Hardaway Jr. led them to not enough cap space and no way to find enough of it to ink Williams.
The New York Post’s Marc Berman phrased it more brutally, saying Williams got tired of waiting on the Knicks.
Phoenix big man Alan Williams signs 3 years, $17M with Suns. Tired of waiting for Knicks to open more cap room after Hardaway splurge.
— Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) July 10, 2017
Whatever the case, this is both hilarious and fantastic news for Williams.
New York’s decision to sign Hardaway was a joke in and of itself. The team traded the sweet shooter a few years ago, and while a four-year, $71 million contract is certainly steep, the eye-rolling only compounds when considering they could have just, you know, kept Hardaway.
Tim Hardaway Jr. was traded for Jerian Grant who was traded for Derrick Rose who was renounced so NYK could sign Hardaway Jr. for $71M.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 7, 2017
The Knicks’ offseason hasn’t been great.
On top of the Hardaway signing, they tried to trade their best young player, Kristaps Porzingis, fired front office leader Phil Jackson and recently told GM candidate David Griffin he wouldn’t actually make basketball decisions in his role — he decided against taking the job, even though being paid to not make decisions seems like a great deal.
From Williams’ perspective, the Knicks’ interest and inability to sign him is a great story. That New York, of all teams, couldn’t afford him is laughable with the Hardaway deal tying them up.
But that Williams is worth a reported $6 million in his first season and $5.5 million the next two, per Begley, is a testament to the center’s work ethic to make it in the league after first making the Suns as an undrafted rookie.
Also, making a music video with an up-and-coming local rapper to announce a hometown return is one way to do it right.
