The New York Knicks continued to reshape their roster and create possible salary cap maneuverability for next season on Sunday, completing a four-player trade with the Toronto Raptors.
The deal sends Doug Christie and Herb Williams to the Raptors in exchange for Willie Anderson and Victor Alexander.It was the second major trade in 10 days for the Knicks, who swapped Charles Smith and Monty Williams to San Antonio just before last week's All-Star game, acquiring J.R. Reid, Brad Lohaus and a No. 1 draft choice from the Spurs.
Like Reid and Lohaus, Anderson and Alexander are in the final year of their contracts and will become free agents. If the Knicks choose not to re-sign the four, the club will have $9.5 million-$10 million under the salary cap to pursue other free agents.
"We explored all our options and felt this was the best situation for the present and the future," Knicks GM Ernie Grunfeld said. "This will help from a competitive standpoint now and going forward it will help us in the future."
Anderson, a 6-foot-8 guard-forward, was chosen by the Raptors from San Antonio in last June's expansion draft and has averaged 12.6 points per game. He started 42 of Toronto's 49 games at the off-guard position and has backed up point guard Damon Stoudamire on occasion.
"Willie gives us a proven swing man who can play both small forward and big guard," Grunfeld said. "He's a slasher who can get out on the break and finish the break."
Christie broke into the NBA in 1992 with the Los Angeles Lakers and spent two seasons there. He was dealt to the Knicks for two draft picks in October 1994 and is averaging four points a game this season. He was unhappy with limited playing time in 23 of New York's 50 games and had asked to be traded.
Williams is a 38-year-old backup center who has been in the NBA since 1981 with Indiana, Dallas and the Knicks. He has been used sparingly this year, appearing in only 15 games with an average of 2.6 points a game.
Alexander, a 6-11 center, has been on the injured list all season with a bad foot after being obtained by Toronto from Golden State him in the B.J. Armstrong trade.