Sunday, as the Nets were beating the Knicks (in a game that ended embarrassingly for New York), Brooklyn broadcaster and 17-year NBA veteran Richard Jefferson told a story about how he knew it was time to retire because only the Knicks were offering him a contract.
"Knicks? No, I'll retire. That's why I retired, they were the one team that offered me a job."
— ESPN (@espn) November 25, 2019
Richard Jefferson said he knew his time in the league was up when the Knicks were the only team that wanted him. pic.twitter.com/OnH2sYTOUE
The Knicks, of course, denied this report.
For clarification purposes, it is not true that the New York Knicks offered Richard Jefferson a contract in either the summer of 2018 or 2019.
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) November 25, 2019
Who is telling the truth? Well, maybe a little from both. The Knicks likely never offered a formal contract to Jefferson, but that is very different from having preliminary discussions about a potential fit and deal. It’s possible that level of discussion went on and Jefferson decided that he had enough. There also is no guarantee the Knicks would have put that offer on the table.
I can say this: People are going to remember the accusation, not the denial.