Via Knicks Official Website & Tina Cervasio (@MSGTina on Twitter):

Via Knicks Nation:

As Joe Johnson moves closer to re-signing with the Atlanta Hawks, the Knicks are turning their attention to Washington guard Mike MHiller, who has also drawn interest from Miami and Chicago.

According to a Knicks source, the club is confident that they can sign Miller and believe he is a suitable alternative for Johnson. Miller and Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni hit it off in Los Angeles three days ago and Miller is said to want to play in New York and D’Antoni’s system.

In fact, the Knicks are hopeful to have verbal agreements from both Miller and Amar’e Stoudemire sometime over the next three days.

Remember that supposedly d wade and Lebron are interested in teaming with mike miller. Does this ingredient simply add to the sell or is there something more here? Time will tell…

Via Fox Sports Senior Basketball Writer – Jeff Goodman (@goodmanonfox on Twitter):

So it looks like the Lakers may have set the market for Mike Miller (according to sources), of course the Knicks would have to pay more to persuade Miller to join anything less a championship caliber team.

Anyone else get the feeling that this NBA Free Agency is really about LeBron James versus Dwyane Wade?  We have a feeling they were never allies..

Via NY Post:

The Knicks sold basketball — but they also sold being a billionaire.

It lasted two hours, and the major themes were New York’s endless energy — and the chance for “The King” to reap as much as $1.94 billion in salary (from a five-year max deal) plus endorsements if he bolts Cleveland and finishes his career with the Knicks.

That astonishing number comes from a study commissioned by the Knicks from the marketing consultant Interbrand.

It outshines the estimated $700 million James would likely earn in Cleveland, the $690 million he’d make in Chicago or the $600 million he’d pocket in Miami, the study showed. The Nets are not mentioned in the study.

(James’) agent, Leon Rose, stated in an e-mail to The Post, “Both teams [the Knicks, and, earlier in the day, the Nets] represented their organizations well, and we appreciate their interest and effort.”

(full story here)

Interesting…money talk b.s. walks.  Wonder if the Nets commissioned a  global branding consultancy and had a report based on facts or if Jay-Z and Prokhorov were all about sizzle…selling their global status and billboards across from MSG?

KnicksTweets is still LeBroptomistic.

Via probasketballtalk:

1. LeBron James (not signed): Day one is in the books with pitches from the Nets and Knicks. Both teams said things went well because, well, what else are they going to say? “We really blew it, sorry fans.” Friday it’s the Heat and Clippers; the Bulls and Cavaliers go on Saturday. On Sunday, our sources say LeBron will enjoy fireworks and barbecue like the rest of the nation. You can decide for yourself if the Bulls and Cavs getting the last word has any significance. I kind of think it does.

2. Dwyane Wade (not signed): He’s not leaving the Miami Heat unless nobody else comes and plays in his sandbox. He’s trying to get anyone and everyone to come play. He’s in Chicago recruiting. But he also is having meetings with the Nets and Bulls, as fall back options.

3. Chris Bosh (not signed): He had some preliminary meetings in Dallas, but now is in Chicago — same as Wade — talking to to teams. He tweeted that the first night he had talks with Houston, Chicago, Toronto and Miami, more formal meetings with some of those teams and New Jersey on Thursday. Rumors are now that Toronto wants picks and a trade exemption back for him, meaning they want to deal with a team under the cap. Like Miami or Chicago, but not Houston.

4. Amare Stoudemire (not signed): He opted out of his deal with the Suns Wednesday, but is still talking to them. The hangup appears to be years — Phoenix offered four, Stoudemire wants five. He met with the Pat Riley and the Heat just after the deadline for a couple hours. Meetings are scheduled in NYC with the Knicks Monday, although in the past he has been rumored to be lukewarm on them. He also will have meetings in Los Angeles this weekend. His agent — Happy Walters (yes that’s his name) — said six teams contacted Stoudemire, but he did not disclose the names.

5. Joe Johnson (Near agreement with Hawks): Is set to have a second meeting with the Hawks on Thursday and reportedly he is about to accept the Hawks max-deal offer of six years, $119 million. The Knicks have gotten a meeting with him to take one last swing at it, but Johnson’s heart has been in Atlanta all along. (more…)

Via Newsday’s Alan Hahn (@alanhahn on Twitter):

Via Ken Berger CBSSports.com:

Joe Johnson will sit down for a second meeting with Hawks officials in Los Angeles Thursday and expects to make a decision on the team’s six-year, $120 million offer “in the near future,” his agent, Arn Tellem, told CBSSports.com.

“We met with the Hawks and Knicks [Wednesday] night and have heard a number of other teams with significant interest in Joe,” Tellem said in an email. “At this point, Joe has many great options to choose from. We plan to meet with the Hawks again [Thursday] to discuss the details of their offer and we hope to make a decision in the near future.”

In fact, one executive within the league said that perhaps the only reason Johnson has waited this long to commit to the Hawks is that he’s enjoying the recruiting process that so many of the top free agents have coveted.

“I don’t know what else he wants to hear,” the executive said. “If that’s not enough, then obviously he wants to go somewhere else. Do you want to go New York with $90 million or stay in Atlanta with $120 million and win?”

OUCH

Via ESPN:

“The Wolves are hosting free agents Rudy Gay and David Lee in the coming days. However, the only way they’ll be able to sign either is through a sign-and-trade. Sources say the Wolves will use forward Al Jefferson as the trade bait to both the Grizzlies and Knicks.”