Knicks Acquire Forward Keith Van Horn

NEW YORK, July 23, 2003 – The New York Knickerbockers have acquired forward Keith Van Horn from the Philadelphia 76ers in a four-team trade, Knicks President and General Manager Scott Layden announced today. In exchange, guard/forward Latrell Sprewell has been traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Also part of the deal, Terrell Brandon, formerly of the Timberwolves, draft rights to forward Randy Holcomb, a conditional future first-round draft choice and a future second-round draft choice, from Philadelphia, have been traded to Atlanta, Glenn Robinson, formerly of the Hawks, and Marc Jackson, formerly of the Timberwolves, have been traded to Philadelphia.

“Our goal this off-season is to improve the Knicks for now and into the future by focusing on getting younger and bigger, and acquiring a talented, young veteran like Keith Van Horn is a big part of that strategy,” Layden said. “We think Keith’s best years are ahead of him as a New York Knick and expect him to have an immediate impact on our success.”

Van Horn, 6-10, 240-pounds, has career averages of 17.7 points and 7.5 rebounds in 388 career games. Last season for the Philadelphia 76ers, the six-year NBA veteran averaged 15.9 points, ranked 32nd in the NBA in rebounding with a 7.1 average and shot 48.2-percent from the floor (21st in NBA). Prior to last season, the Utah-alum spent five seasons in New Jersey, including an appearance in the 2002 NBA Finals. He ranks sixth on the Nets all-time scoring list with 5,700 points.

“We are extremely fortunate to add a player of Keith’s caliber to our roster,” Head Coach Don Chaney said. “We expect him to work very well within our system - bringing a different dimension to our front-court as both a fine post-up and perimeter player.”

Sprewell, 6-5, 195-pounds, finished his Knicks career as the franchise’s 19th all-time leading scorer (6,284 points) and ranks sixth on the team’s three-point field goals made list (385) in five seasons. Acquired on Jan. 21, 1999 from the Golden State Warriors, the 32-year-old swingman averaged 19.1 points, 4.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 751 games for New York. In 2001, the 11-year NBA veteran represented the Knicks in Washington, D.C. at the NBA All-Star Game as a reserve. Last season, Sprewell averaged 16.4 points, 4.5 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 74 games (73 starts).