NEW YORK, July 9, 2015 -– New York Knickerbockers President Phil Jackson announced today that the team has signed guard Arron Afflalo, center Robin Lopez and forward Derrick Williams and acquired forward/center Kyle O’Quinn via sign-and-trade from Orlando. Terms of the deals are not disclosed.
“We are fortunate to add these four new players to our roster that has brought the team both veteran talent and leadership and youth,” Jackson said. “These men, in addition to our rookies from the NBA Draft, will make for a very competitive team this coming year. We are looking forward to the season as we welcome these young men to the New York Knicks 2015-16 roster.”
“We addressed our primary needs this offseason by adding size and versatility – players who complement each other and those that are returning from last year’s roster,” Knicks General Manager Steve Mills said. “We are all looking forward for these new players to mesh together to form our team.”
Afflalo, 6-5, 215-pounds, averaged 13.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists over 32.1 minutes in 78 games (72 starts) for Portland and Denver last season. Holding career averages of 11.4 points, on 45.3-percent shooting, including 38.5-percent from three-point range, in 577 games over eight seasons with Detroit, Denver, Orlando and Portland, he finished in the Top 10 in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage three times (most recently sixth in 2013-14). The Los Angeles, CA-native was originally selected by Detroit with the 27th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft following three seasons at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Lopez, 7-0, 255-pounds, averaged 9.6 points, on 53.5-percent shooting, 6.7 rebounds and 1.42 blocks over 27.8 minutes in 59 games (all starts) for Portland last season. Holding career averages of 8.2 points, on 53.2-percent shooting, 5.0 rebounds and 1.18 blocks over 21.2 minutes in 465 games over seven seasons with Phoenix, New Orleans and Portland, he set the Trail Blazers’ single-season franchise record 326 offensive rebounds during 2013-14. The Fresno, CA-native was originally selected by Phoenix with the 15th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft following his sophomore season at Stanford University.
Williams, 6-8, 241-pounds, averaged 8.3 points and 2.7 rebounds over 19.8 minutes in 74 games (six starts) for Sacramento last season. He holds career averages of 9.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 22.4 minutes in 296 games (92 starts) over four seasons with Minnesota and Sacramento. The Bellflower, CA-native was originally selected by Minnesota with the second overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft following two seasons at the University of Arizona and was an NBA All-Rookie second-team selection in 2011-12.
O’Quinn, 6-10, 240-pounds, was acquired, via sign-and-trade, from Orlando for the right to exchange 2019 second-round draft selections and cash considerations. He averaged 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds over 16.2 minutes in 51 games (17 starts) during his third season for the Magic in 2014-15. The Queens, NY-native was originally selected by Orlando in the second round (49th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft following four seasons at Norfolk State University. He played his high school basketball at Humanities & Arts Magnet HS in Queens, NY.