knicks 20 steps closer to getting lampe

[knicks235]

the lampe saga continues-buyout official thread

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">REAL DEAL:
LAMPE GETS SUMMER OK

By MARC BERMAN
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July 9, 2003 -- Light the Lampe. He will play.
The Knicks received terrific news yesterday as Real Madrid granted 7-foot teen sensation Maciej Lampe permission to play for the Knicks' summer-league team, sources told The Post.

Although the 18-year-old forward still has not finalized a contract buyout, Real Madrid's change of heart indicates a willingness to get a deal done soon. The Post has been told the Polish marksman was in the process of getting a private insurance policy to protect him against injury during the two-week summer-league schedule. Real Madrid had forbidden Lampe from playing until yesterday.

Practices begin at the Knicks' Westchester facility today with a double session. Lampe, compared to Dirk Nowitzki, is expected to fly in this morning from Chicago and could be in uniform for the second session.

In another development, Marc Cornstein, the agent for 7-6 Serbian center Slavko Vranes, said he's in the "final stages" of contract-buyout negotiations with his client's European team. Vranes, selected in the second round, could be on hand by today. That would ensure all three 2003 Knick draft picks will play summer league, since Mike Sweetney signed Monday.

The Knicks begin play at the Boston tournament Monday, then fly to Utah July 20 for another week of games at the Rocky Mountain Revue.

Sweetney will have to share the limelight with Lampe, the Garden folk hero who dropped to 30th in the draft because of a $2 million contract buyout and non-lottery teams not getting a chance to work him out.

Negotiations for the buyout are progressing because Real Madrid is willing to listen to proposals of a long-term payment schedule since Lampe has to foot all but $350,000 of the $2 million buyout. Lampe made just $45,000 last season, playing mostly for its minor-league team, and is slated to make $55,000 next season.</div>
http://nypost.com/sports/knicks/knicks.htm

 

[knicks235]

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">LAMPE'S BUYOUT
MOVING FORWARD

By MARC BERMAN
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REBOUND:
Knicks' Maciej Lampe (right) battles Dallas' Aaron McGhee for ball Wednesday in Boston summer league game.
- AP

July 18, 2003 -- BOSTON - With Maciej Lampe's improvement over the first four games, the Knicks are hoping to see a quick resolution to his contract-buyout negotiations, which sped up yesterday.
Sources familiar with the talks said Real Madrid is more ready to make a deal than it was two weeks ago. Already, progress has been made in reducing the $2 million buyout figure and convincing the Spanish team to allow some sort of payment plan. Lampe has to pay all but $350,000 of the buyout.

Suddenly, the 18-year-old Lampe not only looks like he's going to make it in the NBA, but he may be ready to contribute this season. Lampe last night followed up Wednesday's 21-point performance with a 13-point outing, making 6 of 15 shots. Though he missed a lot of his perimeter shots, Lampe scored most of his buckets inside, including two wonderful spin moves for layups in the Knicks' 96-78 loss to the Celtics.

He is becoming an inside-outside force that he didn't even display in the Spanish minor leagues last season. "He's 18, 7-foot, 270 pounds, it's not a bad place to start," Knicks assistant GM Jeff Nix said.

If the Knicks don't use the $4.9 million exception, they can take $1 million of it and sign Lampe. Otherwise, Lampe must sign for the $360,000 minimum.

Knicks' second-round pick Slavko Vranes had his best game last night with five points in nine minutes, making all three of his free throws. His best moment of summer league came in the second quarter when he ripped down a tough offensive rebound and laid it in despite traffic.

The Knicks have hired a conditioning coach here in Boston to work with the 7-6 Vranes every day. First-rounder Mike Sweetney had 15 points and four boards in 29 minutes.

Lampe's 34 points across the last two games is a market improvement from his opening-game disaster. "This is how I play normally," Lampe said. "The first game was just a joke."

"The problem was, he hung his head," said a Lampe associate. "He felt the whole thing was riding on that one game and it wasn't."

Lampe admits he can play better. Indeed, he's not getting enough rebounds, though he seems to be in position for them.

"I got to get more boards," Lampe said. "I'm there but I'm not grabbing them." </div>
http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/37933.htm

 

[jbbKnicks]

Great I want to see him play

 

[Kid Canada]

I want to see Slavko Vranes play hes a GIANT!