Fields Jump to Raptors May End Knicks’ Chance at Nash, CBS Says

New York Knicks restricted free agent Landry Fields agreed on an offer sheet with the Toronto Raptors, probably reducing the Knicks’ chances to sign two-time league Most Valuable Player Steve Nash, CBS Sports reported today.

The Knicks have three days after he signs to decide whether to match the three-year, $20 million offer, CBS reported citing Fields’ agent, Chris Emens. No contracts or trades can be formally finished until July 11. Calls to Emens’s office weren’t answered.

Nash is a National Basketball Association free agent after playing the last eight seasons with the Phoenix Suns. The Knicks had discussed a double sign-and-trade with Phoenix in which the Suns received Fields, CBS reported. That deal is now dead. If the Knicks don’t match the Raptors’ offer, they lose Fields; if they do match, they can’t trade him under the league’s labor agreement.

The Raptors are also interested in Nash, 38, who grew up in Canada. The team offered him a three-year, $36 million deal, according to CBS.

Fields, 24, has averaged 9.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in his two-year NBA career with the Knicks. Nash is an eight-time All-Star and was the league’s MVP in 2005 and 2006.

To contact the reporter on this story: Eben Novy-Williams in New York at enovywilliam@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Sillup at msillup@bloomberg.net