SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – MARCH 18: Luca Vildoza of Baskonia during the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague match between Zenit St Petersburg and TD Systems Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz at Sibur Arena on March 18, 2021 in Saint Petersburg, Russia (Photo by Anatolij Medved/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
The Knicks decided to start free agency early by agreeing to a four-year deal with Argentine guard Luca Vildoza.
The New York Knicks have notably struggled in the world of NBA free agency for quite a long time. However, Wednesday brought positive news on that front as the team added one of the top guards in Europe.
Luca Vildoza and the Knicks agreed on a four-deal deal that could pay him nearly $14 million. The 25-year-old has spent the past several years with Baskonia, a team based in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski detailed the move after breaking the news.
Knicks sign a coveted European player in Luca Vildoza
Wojnarowski explained how Vildoza still needs to clear the immigration process to join the team. Who knows how long that could take given COVID-19 travel restrictions. This pushes the hype surrounding Vildoza to the summer.
Kudos to the Knicks for getting a deal done in May. They beat plenty of other teams in the Vildoza sweepstakes and already have a nice new addition ready to join the team for the 2021-22 season. This is much better than in year’s past when the team has false hope entering free agency.
The 6-foot-3 guard was named Finals MVP after leading his team to a championship in Spain’s ACB League in 2020. He has also played with the Argentina national team as well, so the experience and accolades are abundant before he ever arrives in New York.
This may signal a new era for the franchise. The team is currently fourth in the Eastern Conference standings and will be back in the postseason for the first time since 2013. Players may actually want to join the Knicks now that the young core in town has turned things around.