Restricted free agents have a hard enough time trying to convince teams to extend an offer sheet, let alone in times like these when NBA owners have one eye trained on the economy and the other on their salary cap space for the summer of 2010. Even so, it's somewhat baffling that David Lee was virtually shunned by NBA teams, who apparently have no use for a tireless big man destined to remain among the league's rebounding leaders for the next decade. With no better options, Lee will likely sign a one-year deal to remain with the Knicks, according to ESPN's Andrew Marchand.
Some have suggested that Lee's numbers have been inflated by the pace of Mike D'Antoni's system, but accepting such a notion is to ignore the fact that Lee's total rebounding percentage in his lone season under D'Antoni (18.4) was virtually identical to his career numbers (18.3). Lee has been extremely prolific on the boards from the day he set foot in the league; D'Antoni was merely the first coach he's had to insert him into the starting lineup and leave him there.
Lee isn't the most polished player offensively, but he certainly plays to his strengths, shooting at a 56.4% clip over his career while scoring a career-high 16.0 points a game last season. And while Lee won't be earning any All-Defensive Team nominations any time soon, at least he's an elite defensive rebounder, often giving the opposition only one chance to score.
Lee will have another chance to test the market next summer, this time as an unrestricted free agent.
