Crawford signs with Knicks....

[emeans]

Should be "official" official later today.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...40805bullstrade,1,4018712.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

After 34 days of negotiations that took several twists and turns, the Knicks and Bulls finally consummated a six-player trade that sends Jamal Crawford to New York on Thursday afternoon.

Crawford signed a seven-year, $55.4 million contract that still needs to clear the NBA league office. But he and Jerome Williams will go to New York in exchange for Dikembe Mutombo, Othella Harrington, Frank Williams and Cezary Trybanski.

"I'm excited," Crawford said by phone from Seattle. "It's been rough because it was supposed to go through a few times. But I'm looking forward to a new challenge."

All of the contracts coming the Bulls' way expire after this season, which will save general manager John Paxson $18 million in salary-cap room over the next four seasons. Paxson insisted throughout the negotiations that financial relief was the only path to get a deal done.

Since Crawford was a restricted free agent, the Bulls held his rights for next season and thus the power in the negotiation process.

That process alternated between a trade looking imminent and stalling over the past five weeks, including a face-to-face meeting between Knicks President Isiah Thomas and Paxson near O'Hare Airport on July 27 that broke down over the inclusion of Moochie Norris in the talks.

It's unclear if Mutombo will remain a Bull. Trybanski is expected to attend training camp but likely will be cut.

Williams, the former University of Illinois standout, averaged 3.9 points and 2.2 assists in 56 games with the Knicks last season, his second. The point guard should battle Chris Duhon and Jannero Pargo for the right to backup Kirk Hinrich.

Harrington is an eight-year veteran who has played with three teams. The 6-foot-9-inch forward owns career averages of 8.1 points and five rebounds.

Crawford averaged 17.3 points last season to lead the Bulls in scoring. But he never completely fit into the culture that Paxson and coach Scott Skiles are trying to create.

When this summer's free-agent market became inflated, Crawford's price tag shot out of the Bulls' budget plans. Paxson then began scouting for ways to parlay Crawford---whom he calls the best basketball player in the deal---into financial flexibility moving forward.

What does this mean for Dampier??

[KB21]

Nothing.

He can still opt to sign for the MCE with New York. I don't see how anyone can look at the Knicks and believe they are an attractive team to play for though. They are the epitomy of salary cap hell. They've got a guy in Stephon Marbury who is a perinneal loser because he despises team play, and they have absolutely no means of improving themselves due to the long term contracts on that team. Marbury, Crawford, Houston, Tim Thomas, and Kurt Thomas is not an impact team.

[andycard69]

It has been reported that he will likly be limited to a BU role for the rest of his carrer if he doesn't retire.

[KB21]

Great. Now they will have a guy making $15+ million a year coming off the bench. That should be very attractive to guys wanting to go to a team that has a chance to win.