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Nate Will Sign Today

by Chris Alvino on September 23rd, 2009 at 12:16 pm

via Alan Hahn:

“Nate Robinson will be signed to a one-year contract today and, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, Robinson, who was a restricted free agent who earlier this summer told the Knicks he had no interest in playing anywhere else, will get more than his $2.9M qualifying offer. There are also performance bonuses included in the deal.

David Lee, the team’s other restricted free agent, is still unsigned, though his agent, Mark Bartelstein, and Donnie Walsh are in the midst of negotiatins on a one-year deal.”

It is funny how after seeming months of speculation regarding Nate (including the months during last season), the two sides have waited until the last week of the off-season to hammer out this deal.

Nate’s loyalty has not gone unnoticed in my eyes.  Good luck Nate and help the Knicks into the playoffs.

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About Chris Alvino

Chris Alvino grew up in Crestwood, NY. He graduated from Regis High School in 2005. There he played both basketball and baseball. Chris is currently a student at Boston College, where he practices with the varsity Women's Basketball Team (... seriously). Chris has been a Knicks' fan for years and can literally talk about them all day long, every day of the week. Chris enjoys writing on this blog and seeing what everyone out there has to say about it. View all posts by Chris Alvino →
  • bob go knicks

    i dont think loyalty has anything to do with NATE staying.Im sure if another team offered him a couple of million more and a few years more,he would be ex knick nate robinson.also why did donnie wait soooooo long to do these deals.? he seems like the disloyal one

  • BiggieSmalls

    Orlando and the Lakers had interest but Nate wanted to stay in NYC.

    Big props for Loyalty to the Orange and Buue

  • JRSlim

    Nice to see a fan fave (remember it’s still a business) come back. For a team that’s not looking for much as far as success this is a welcome decision

  • KnickFaninMD

    Bob, hate DW much? So, can we assume, whatever DW does you will disapprove? DW should sign players sooner, at possibly a larger price, because of loyalty? How much is that loyalty worth and at what point is making them wait an act of disloyalty? Dude, get a grip.

  • Not Hawthorne Wingo

    If Nate got some say one where and if he can be traded, not to mention getting paid more than the QO then he got payment for his loyalty. DW waited and let the market dictate the price, so he didn’t overpay on a couple of players that are worth having but not make or break types. Seems like a good deal to me.

  • bob go knicks

    you misunderstood everything i said.why would i hate DW?im not saying he should have signed nate sooner,i asked why he waited so long.and biggie,if next year,when nate is an unrestricted,we shall see how far loyalty takes him

  • HaS

    Congrats to Nate. I’m glad to see him back. I truly hope he puts it all together and takes the next step this year. There is no backup point so he has a chance to force _’antoni’s hand and make him see he’s capable of at least being a part time point, if he can he’ll add years to his career.

  • JRSlim

    Hahn tweeted that it won’t be official til tomorrow but the deal is done.

    I see Hughes falling out of favor for some reason and if he does well early on, a 2nd unit backcourt of Nate and Douglas. Obviously height will be a problem, but overall they would fit what the system dictates

  • MrFurious

    Nate is completely overrated by knick fans. He is an occasionally exciting player, but mostly he’s a defensive liability and a head case. We get him back because no other GM seriously wanted him…it’s not hard to figure out why. Let’s hope he doesn’t brick shots for 2 months mid-season like he did last year. Meh.

  • Bart

    Nater Alert ^^

  • Magik_Trick

    Ask you this…

    If Nate would have been shipped off with Jared Jeffries at the trade deadline…would David Lee still be unsigned? And would the Kings re-sign Nate?

  • BiggieSmalls

    Of course the Kings would have resigned Nate.

    He is a product of the North West and they love him up there.

    He would draw attention to the Sacto franchise and raise attendance no doubt.

  • Sean C

    Maybe if Nate had 1 single other offer I’d consider it loyalty, instead I’ll just go with what it is: another season of that goof off not playing defense and looking out for only himself.

  • BiggieSmalls

    source:

    http://twitter.com/alanhahn/statuses/4318170959

    LAL, ORL among teams that were interested in @nate_robinson
    about 9 hours ago from TweetDeck

  • DinnerDog

    Nate was easily our best scorer. Also, not a bad defender at all, he’s just short and people can shoot over him. But he does try hard on defense. Teammates love him. And he’s not a selfish player, that’s BS. I watched every Knicks game last year, and for every bone head play he made he made 10 smart, difficult, important ones. He clearly cares about the team and plays hard.

    Honestly I think he was the best player on the team last year. For whatever rumors there are that management doesn’t like him, the fact remains that they could have traded him with one of their worst contracts and didn’t because they obviously felt he was too talented to give up. You can obsess over Ramon Sessions or whoever else all you want, but Nate has been a perfect fit in D’Antoni’s offense much the same way Barbosa was in Phoenix. He’s not an ideal starter but great at tearing up other teams second units and that is an important role.

  • Section 40

    I love how people criticize players for not having “loyalty” to the franchise. GMs cut and trade players left and right. As a matter of fact, the main reason the Knicks are signing Lee and Nate to one year deals above their QO is to have the ability to trade them. The franchise is not showing any loyalty to these players, why do people expect the players the show them any loyalty back? I don’t get it. I suspect the GM doesn’t even expect them to take less money for “loyalty” reasons.

  • DaJoka

    U sound like an idiot with this post.
    Sorry just telling the truth.

  • DaJoka

    Another idiot alert.
    Man their everywhere today.

  • Section 40

    not much info there

    they were interested in nate, um ok

    what were they willing to give us for him?

    If nate was unrestricted this summer and either the of those teams offered him a multi year deal while we offered a one year deal…what do you think he would do?

    If their was a decent sign and trade offer for him with the lakers or magic that worked for the knicks, I doubt he would turn it down….and i wouldn’t blame him for it either..this is his life we are talking about.

  • MrFurious

    Dajoka, Maybe if you pulled you head out Nate’s jock for a second you might actually KNOW something. Rather than call people idiots how about you defend your boy?!! Nate does not shoot a high percentage, is at BEST a mediocre defender, doesn’t pass the ball and has gone long stretches…like months, where he can hit the side of the barn.

    You disagree? Why? Because you think he’s cute little guy that can jump real high and dunk? Does he make you feel good about yourself because he’s your size..the underdog angle? Your feverish man-crush notwithstanding, he’s 17 ppg jack em up blackhole on some of the worst Knicks teams in franchise history. Yeah, HE’S DA MAN.

    Seriously, beyond the 2 or 3 highlight reel moments in a game he’s pretty friggin’ average in all other areas of the game. He has athletic gifts but that doesn’t mean the Knicks win with guys like him. I hope they trade him this year cause the coaches clearly know what he’s all about…an immature blockhead that, while entertaining, doesn’t know how to win or be a good teammate.

    An no I don’t hate Nate. I just don’t like his game. It’s not personal. It’s business.

  • Section 40

    wow….sounds a little personal to me

    If nate sucks so bad, why didn’t the knicks withdraw their QO? Why did they even offer it to him in the first place? If no one wants him, why is DW allegedly negotiating a 1 year offer higher than the QO to bring him back? He must believe there is a market for nate, maybe he even wants him on the team. I know I do. I think you forgot…nate did help us win some games last year, obviously not nearly enough by looking at our record…but there were a few of them. He is still young and could develop

    btw DaJoka, everyone is entitled to their opinion here. You shouldn’t just call people names when you disagree with them. Instead try to debate them with something intelligent. That was very immature, but maybe that’s why you like nate so much ;)

  • MrFurious

    My issue with Nate is his .02 cent head. I hope he proves me wrong, matures, and has a great year. We need help. The Knicks should sign him now because we definitely need help in the back court. Certainly, a 1 year offer at $2-4mil is totally legit. I merely said he was overrated by Knicks fans who, in turn, dump on Donnie for not locking him down for some big multi-year contract. He’s not worth that until he proves he can play with consistency and help get this team on the better side of .500.

  • bockersORbriefs

    Of course it’s a business for everybody involved … Nate, Lee, their agents & Donnie B-ball …But anyone out there who dosen’t think Nate LOVES Orange & Blue and this city, has been down in the MSG Vault with Trautwig too long. Yes his antics are over the top sometimes, but, in terms of passion, he’s the closest Knick to John Starks since, well, John Starks. And I’d say #3 was a vital piece to those Holy War squads of the ’90s. Labron & Kobe both had high praise fo N8 so that’s good enough for me. So let’s let him entertain us AND make us crazy for another year and see where that leads. After all, if Donnie dosen’t want him next summer, Nate STILL may be able to stay in the area with the (Bound for Bklyn?) Nyets (that’s their new Russian name). I can easily see the “Moscow on eithir side of the Hudson” team going for him as a FA and gate attraction since they probably won’t get LBJ or some other high profile FAs they target. He could be a Czar in The BK … ruling for years to come over the yet to be determined Knick backcourt !!!

  • BiggieSmalls

    I dont know why you have such a problem with this small piece of news.

    Nate has consistently said — and his agent has repeated — that he wants to be a Knick for life. He said he did not want any sign and trades and wanted a one year deal in NYC with UFA in 2010.

    facts are facts… anything else is just guessing.

  • Section 40

    I don’t have a problem with a twitter statement, but I don’t consider it news either. The statement is vague that’s all.

    Nate is saying all the right things. I wish David Lee did the same. (that surprised me btw). You have to let your agent do the dirty work. Nate is smarter than people think. I’m fans of both these guys, but I can’t blame either of them for doing what’s best for their career. I think they would both be nuts to turn down a high priced multi year offer with another team. Personally, I believe that just like the RFA market that the S&T market did not really exist for either of them. But I would be glad to have them both back this year.

  • DaJoka

    Mr. Furious is an idiot!!!
    Just joking..
    There’s nothing wrong with Nate. He has the most heart on this current team and I come to this blog everyday and read from bloggers how they want players with heart and grit.
    So what he’s emotional….basketball is an emotional game and that’s exactly how it should be played.
    Bottom line..Nate is one of the most physically gifted players in the league by far and I root for the little guy 100 percent.
    Funny how people mention the time when he was off and couldn’t hit a shot to save his life but they fail to bring up the time when he was carrying us in more than a few games. You have to take the good with the bad with Nate..just like with Artest and other emotional players that haven’t won anything in this league.
    Good comeback though…..
    I could be biased because I play against Nate alot at the NYSC. He’s there every morning when he’s in NY.
    FYI…No man crushes over here bro lol
    Sometimes I think we as Knicks fans look for to much.
    Be patient and give things time guys.
    Everything will fall into place and then you can start the slurp Donnie campaign.

  • DaJoka

    The slurp Donnie campaign will be lead by the biggest slurper of them all…..Has!!!

    J/K

  • bob go knicks

    are you kidding me?he had d’antoni pulling his hair out last year,and his defense SUCKS! EVERYONE ON THIS BLOG SAW him freeze out GALLO last year,