Knicks sign Vin Baker for rest of season
By DAN GELSTON, AP Sports Writer
March 12, 2004
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Former All-Star Vin Baker signed Friday with the New York Knicks for the rest of the season, a day after winning his arbitration case against the NBA.
Knicks president Isiah Thomas announced the signing at the team's shootaround before its game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Baker will be added to the active roster immediately, and coach Lenny Wilkens will decide if Baker plays against the Sixers, Thomas said.
"I'm taking this opportunity as my last chance to come out and not only play basketball, but as a person, I don't want to make the same mistakes,'' Baker said. "I'm going to try my hardest from day to day not to make the same mistakes that I've made in the past.''
Baker was shooting more than 50 percent for the Boston Celtics before he was suspended -- and subsequently had his contract terminated -- for violating terms of his alcohol treatment program.
"I think we are catching him at a good and unique time in his life,'' Thomas said.
As a result of winning his case against the league, Baker was free to sign with the team of his choice. No details about Baker's contract were announced.
In Baker's grievance against the NBA, argued Monday, arbitrator Roger Kaplan invalidated a league memo barring all 29 teams from signing Baker until his grievance against the Celtics is settled.
Kaplan set an initial hearing date of April 12 for that case.
Thomas was not concerned about Baker's previous troubles.
``He's not a problem person,'' Thomas said. ``I think that he is a person that has something going on inside of his body that he probably wasn't aware of. Unfortunately, he found out at this time of his life.
"We're happy and we're positive with where he is at.''
Thomas said Baker's testing and counseling will be handled by the team.
The 6-foot-11 Baker was the eighth overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1993 draft. He played in four consecutive All-Star games from 1995-98.
Baker averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds over his last two seasons in Milwaukee before he was traded to Seattle for the 1997-98 season. He spent five years in Seattle, averaging 14.1 points in his final year.
The Celtics signed Baker before the 2002-03 season, but he averaged just 5.2 points before he was suspended on Feb. 27, 2003, amid reports of a drinking problem. Baker later said he was an alcoholic who began binge drinking during the 1998-99 lockout.
After treatment, he returned in better shape and determined to make it up to his teammates.
He scored in double figures in 21 of his first 35 games, but then his production dropped off again.
Baker said he started putting basketball ahead of his alcohol counseling, which led to a relapse.
"I'm going to work hard everyday to enjoy this, for my family, for my friends, for my teammates and for the fans in New York,'' Baker said, as tears filled his eyes. ``I'm just grateful to be here. I just hope it turns out great.''
Baker considered signing with Miami and visited with Heat president Pat Riley on Thursday, but decided on the Knicks on the plane ride back to his Connecticut home. The Knicks are in need of frontcourt depth and a player who can score in the low post.
"I was torn,'' Baker said. "It just boiled down to praying about it. I didn't want to take too long. I wanted to get acclimated. It's playoff basketball, and I wanted to get with a team as fast as I could.''
Updated on Friday, Mar 12, 2004 12:51 pm EST
