By HOWARD BECK
Published: February 22, 2006
The Knicks, mired in one of the worst seasons in franchise history, shook up the roster again today, acquiring former All-Star Steve Francis from Orlando in a splashy and potentially risky trade, two people involved in the talks said.
Francis, a 29-year-old guard, has career averages of 19.4 points, 6.4 assists and 6 rebounds. He made the Western Conference All-Star team three times with Houston before the Rockets traded him to the Magic two summers ago.
The Knicks, who had earlier dangled guard Jamal Crawford in negotiations, are instead acquiring Francis for a minimal package: the injured Penny Hardaway and the 20-year-old swingman Trevor Ariza.
The teams agreed to the deal early this afternoon, said the two people involved in the talks, who were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to announce the deal.
Just 24 hours ago, the teams had a larger deal on the table. Crawford, Ariza and Maurice Taylor would have been sent to the Magic in exchange for Francis and Pat Garrity. But the proposal was changed this morning, at the request of the Orlando general manager, Otis Smith, according to a person involved in the discussions.
The Magic wants to pare payroll to rebuild around Dwight Howard and apparently did not want to take on the hefty contract of Crawford, or the final year and a half of Taylor's deal, which will pay him $9.7 million next season.
So the Knicks obtained Francis without even denting their rotation. Ariza, a second-round pick in 2004, has shown little progress and played sparingly this season. The perpetually injured Hardaway has been working out on his own in Houston since Jan. 1.
Both Ariza and Hardaway are free agents this summer, which will allow the Magic to shed more than $16 million from its payroll.
The deal is subject to league approval, which is considered a formality. A conference call with the commissioner's office was set to take place just before 2 p.m.
It is possible that both Francis and Ariza will be playing for their new teams tonight. Orlando is in East Rutherford to play the Nets. The Knicks have a home game against the Miami Heat. If both teams waive the usual physical examinations, Ariza and Francis could cross the Hudson River in the next few hours and be fitted for their new uniforms by tip-off.
