The desperate-for-a-point-guard Knicks have until Aug. 15 to make a move on intriguing Euroleague point guard Bobby Brown, and he hopes they do.
Brown signed a tentative agreement Wednesday to play for Donguam of the Chinese Basketball Association, but can break the deal before that date, according to a league source. The league source said Brown’s top choice is to play for the Knicks and take less money than his roughly $1 million-plus Chinese pact.
Brown is squarely on the Knicks board but they are first hoping veteran point guard Beno Udrih, who made $7 million last season, will come to New York for the $1.4 million veteran’s minimum. The Knicks have been outbid on players all summer, so it could leave Brown as the Knicks’ likelier signing.
Still, the Knicks would be extremely lucky if they can land Udrih — a 6-foot- 3 point guard from Slovenia who averaged 8.2 points and 4.6 assists in 22.1 minutes per game for Milwaukee and Orlando.
The Knicks, who are only able to offer minimum contracts, also are interested in Mo Williams but it is more likely he signs with Miami if it comes down to a minimum deal.
An NBA source said the Knicks no longer have embattled Delonte West on their wish list despite prior inquiries.
After re-signing Pablo Prigioni, the Knicks have been in a summer-long search for a third point guard to replace Jason Kidd, who abruptly retired to coach the Nets.
San Antonio and Memphis are also interested in Brown, 28, who has played 113 NBA games for Minnesota, Sacramento, the Clippers and New Orleans. One scout compared the 6-foot-1 Brown to a taller Nate Robinson because of his innate ability to score and his quick moves. He could be a perfect fit because he plays differently than Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni. His eligible minimum salary is $880,000.
Brown played for Siena of the Italian League last season and averaged 19.3 points and 5.4 assists in Euroleague play. His scoring average was tops for the league.
Brown, who attended UC Irvine and had a prior stint with Sacramento, knows Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith and Metta World Peace from playing pickup games at the Clippers practice facility and UCLA. Brown believes he can be a perfect fit for the Knicks where he could get meaningful playing time, especially if Mike Woodson decides to start the all-point-guard backcourt of Felton and Prigioni.
The Knicks are expected to invite point guard Toure Murry to training camp after the D-Leaguer starred for them at the Las Vegas summer league.
* Newly signed Nets forward Alan Anderson was teammates with Andrea Bargnani’s for two seasons in Toronto and called him “an amazing player’’ who needed to get out of Canada.
“He needed a change,’’ Anderson said on a conference call. “He’s an amazing player. He’s not a show-a-lot-of-emotion type player. He shows his emotion through his game. A change of scenery is always good for some guys, especially when they haven’t taken the team to where the fans and media think they should win.’’
“He has a little weight off his shoulders, going to the Knicks with Melo, J.R. Smith, Amar’e (Stoudemire). Those are guys who can really help you, and (make) him blossom more.’’…
* The Knicks reportedly will play host to the Heat on Saturday of Super Bowl Weekend.