Tag: New York Post

Madison-ex Foster may be headed to the Knicks

Former Madison and Southwest Texas State standout Jeff Foster appears headed to New York with a new free-agent contract.

The New York Post reports that former New York team president Donnie Walsh, who still works with the team as a consultant, is . Walsh originally drafted Foster out of college in 1999.

Foster, 34, is looking for one final NBA and was thought to be headed back to Indiana — even with a smaller contract than his current $6.7 million deal with the Pacers. He showed up for early work at the Pacers’ training center last week after the lockout ended.

But Foster’s rugged rebounding, which helped the Pacers make a late run to the playoffs last season, would be an important and welcome addition for the Knicks.

Foster overcame major back surgery in 2010 to rank second in the NBA in rebounds per minute behind Dwight Howard.

The Post reports that the Knicks could outbid Indiana on a one-year deal if they are willing to offer their $5 million mid-level exception to Foster. They apparently are willing to do that, as long as Foster’s deal doesn’t eat into their 2012 space in the free-agent bonanza that should include  Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and Deron Williams. 

Foster doesn’t want to leave the Pacers. But the former Madison High School mid-1990s teammate of our own Jeff McDonald might have to move in order to earn a top salary like the Knicks are offering.

NBA jersey sales plummet because of lockout

Apparel companies  and the NBA have to be hoping for a robust holiday buying season after sales of their jerseys have dipped significantly during the lockout.

The New York Post reports that NBA jersey sales .

Most online retailers are offering 15 percent to 20 percent discounts on NBA apparel, in addition to peddling old-school or throwback jerseys at half-price to entice visitors. It’s a bullish market for consumers who can make deals in the next  several weeks as the league scrambles to regain momentum after the lockout.

“Expect FootLocker, Champs and others to follow suit,” an insider told the Post. “It has nothing to do with the holiday, either. Retailers understand that after the lockout, the price tag must be cut.”

Total NBA apparel product sales last season were close to $3 billion. With the lockout, analysts expect this year’s sales number to be closer to $1 billion, with sneakers as the sport’s lone bright spot.

NBA talks stretching out into long discussion

The critical NBA labor talks have just passed their seventh hour as both sides appear adamant about at least trying to keep talking in their hopes of brokering a deal that would end the 109-day lockout.

The well-connected Ken Berger of CBS Sports.com, always a must read on all labor-related matters, reports in a tweet that his sources have told him to .

The New York Post’s Marc Berman notes that federal mediator George Cohen as the talks extend into the evening.

It might be a blow to taxpayers, but  the fact that both sides are continuing to talk indicates that there could be a chance at movement today.