David Lee and New York love each other, but like in many relationships, it may not be enough.
Lee will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and wants to remain with the only NBA team he has played for, but being part of the best free-agent group in NBA history complicates the simple desire of one of the Knicks’ most popular players.
“This is where I want to be,” Lee told The Post during an appearance at the Empire State Building, where he volunteered his efforts for a non-profit organization. “I enjoy it here. I love the city. I have a lot of friends in the franchise. I do have ties here.
“They say the two hardest things to deal with [in New York] are the media and the fans, but I’ve found that to be the exact opposite. Having a following here is gonna make the Knicks want to sign me more and makes me want to be in New York.”
Coming off his best season and first All-Star appearance, Lee may have priced himself out of town. And if the Knicks sign two maximum salary free agents, as they hope to do, it doesn’t look like Lee will be giving up the green for the blue and orange.
“We’re gonna have to see what happens,” Lee said. “If they get two or three of those guys, there won’t be 50 cents to give to me. Winning is a huge priority. . . . Just finding a situation that fits, a situation that makes sense, quality of life factor, then also the financial side of it because this is a business.”
“It’s looking like a lot of these guys may stay put, but those kinds of opinions can change really quickly,” Lee said. “If the Knicks are waiting on Lebron’s [James] decision, that could affect their entire free agency.”
So, Lee likely will have to wait for the decisions of James and company, understanding that the upper tier of free agents will have just as much say on where he lands as he does.
“I don’t know at this point if you can call me a franchise player,” Lee said. “I think I’ve gotten a lot better and the big thing is I know I can be better than I am now and still make improvements. I don’t consider myself one of those top 10 guys in the league at this point, but I think I have the potential to be there in the future.”