New York Knicks: Arron Afflalo is ready for the Big Apple

The New York Knicks had a very active free agency this offseason with numerous signings that Phil Jackson hopes will turn some things around.

Also on Empire Writes Back: Who was the best Knick in the year 2014?

One of the best signings for the Knicks was the two-year deal to bring in shooting guard Arron Afflalo. Much of the talk of the offseason has been how the allure of New York and Los Angeles has worn off in recent years, but for Afflalo, this is exactly where he wants to be.

Last season, the Knicks attempted to acquire Afflalo before the NBA trade deadline, but with a lack of assets, he was sent to the contending Portland Trail Blazers.

“We told Denver the Knicks were where he wanted to be,’’ Afflalo’s agent Sam Goldfeder told Marc Berman of the New York Post at the Las Vegas summer league Sunday. “Portland was never mentioned.’’

Afflalo had just one meeting with the Knicks, but it was enough to convince him to cancel his other meetings with teams and sign a two-year deal.

More from New York Knicks

“They made me a priority on what they felt I could do offensively and defensively,’’ Afflalo said to Berman. “Lock in and defend my position at the 2-guard. I felt like it was a good fit. I want to be as impactful as possible on both ends.’’

“This is the happiest I’ve seen him as a professional,’’ Goldfeder said to Berman. “It’s like he was drafted again. This is where he wanted to be and feels the stars aligned for him. It’s the first time he got to choose, and that was meaningful to him. The electricity he found in the Garden was like no other place, and he wanted that environment. He’s looking to have the best season of his career.’’

Unlike some players who want to play so badly in New York, Afflalo isn’t from the area or even the same coast. He was bored and raised in California, and stayed there to play his college basketball at UCLA. The thing that sold Afflalo the most however was an experience at Madison Square Garden a few years ago in a regular season game which had an electric atmosphere.

“A franchise like the Knicks, people can say what they want, they’re not going to be down for long.’’ Afflalo said to Berman. “The city’s too great. The fan base is too great. The opportunities are too great that over time, you’ll have a great culture, great players trickling in slowly but surely. This is a city that deserves to be at its best.”

Afflalo will look to help the Knicks once again become a contender in the Eastern Conference. In his career, Afflalo has averaged 11.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. Afflalo has really improved since his career began, as he’s gone from just being a solid defender to a true two-way player.

Joining the Knicks also means that Afflalo will be teammates once again with Carmelo Anthony. His time with the Denver Nuggets was when Afflalo really came into his own as a basketball player, as he learned a lot from their veteran squad.

“Obviously I was a young player then, in my third year,’’ Afflalo said to Berman. “[Anthony] was playing with other veterans — Chauncey [Billups], Kenyon [Martin], Nene [Hilario]. I was like the little fifth wheel running around. It was good for my game and got better with him. He drew a lot of attention away from me and it got me a lot of open shots. I’m looking forward to that again. I don’t want to create false high expectations, but I’m really looking forward to start this year.’’

Afflalo will now be a veteran on a young Knicks team for the most part, and should be a great leader in the locker room with his great work ethic. The Knicks have a few young guards on the team that can learn from Afflalo, as a little competition for minutes for players will only bring out the best in them.

In an offseason that has been full of talk that New York isn’t appealing to players anymore, it’s great to see a quality player like Afflalo openly saying that this is where he has wanted to be.

Next: 5 things to watch in NBA Summer League?

More from Empire Writes Back

Home/New York Knicks