ORLANDO, Fla. – The Waiters is over, and the Knicks again were empty-handed.
Syracuse product Dion Waiters, whom acting president Steve Mills first pursued in 2013-14 in a trade, agreed to terms with Miami in a deal reportedly worth $52 million over four years.
According to a source, the Knicks’ initial offer was for over $11 million per year.
Instead of Waiters, the Knicks announced the signing of their lottery pick, Frank Ntilikina, to his rookie contract: four years, $18.5 million.
They still have yet to sign a free agent other than their own guys, Ron Baker and Ntilikina. The post-Phil Jackson era has not been splashy.
Referring indirectly to the Waiters rejection, Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said at the Orlando summer league: “I’m sure management had a thought. Sometimes these thoughts pan out. Sometimes they don’t. We’re still hopeful good things happen for us.’’
Hornacek is not permitted to talk about free agents until Thursday’s signing day. Though Waiters was a shooting guard, he’s 25, fitting exactly into their age frame as Mills is eyeing a total rebuild if he can ship out Carmelo Anthony.
That the Knicks have been shut out is no shock to Hornacek.
“The amount of space we had was not conducive to try to go after those big free agents because of the amount of money they’re making nowadays,’’ Hornacek said. “Sometimes patience will pay off for you. We’ll wait and see what management winds up doing.’’
Waiters played in 46 games last season with Miami and had his career year, averaging 15.8 points and 4.3 assists per game. His improvement was immense, but an ankle sprain derailed his year.
The Knicks thought they had a real shot at Waiters. Since he went to Syracuse, they’ve scouted him intensely. Mills also has strong ties with Philly high school basketball and has always taken a keen interest in Waiters, who had a sordid upbringing in Philadelphia.
Were the Knicks used in the negotiating process? Possibly.
“I am enjoying this thing,” Waiters told The Miami Herald late in the season. “Whatever it takes [this summer], I just want to be here. What we’re building here, we have a chance to do something special.”
In April, Waiters wrote an intriguing piece on The Players’ Tribune saluting Pat Riley, saying he reminded him of a mafia boss.
Waiters, known as a character in the locker room, penned: “I walked into his office and … damn. The hair was slicked back, and he was wearing one of those suits of his, you know, real O.G., looking like a million bucks. Behind him, he’s got photos of all his championship teams lining the walls. He’s wearing one of his nine rings. He’s sitting there looking like De Niro in Casino. He’s looking like the boss. He’s looking like he’s seen it all, because he has.”