New York Knicks: Five worst free agent signings in team history

Jared Jeffries

We’re not so sure that anyone will ever understand why the Knicks gave Jared Jeffries a five-year deal worth $30 million in 2006. We mean no disrespect to the former No. 11 overall pick, but he was the very definition of average for the Washington Wizards the previous season. That year, Jeffries registered 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on 45.1 percent shooting.

Jeffries missed close to 30 games twice in three of his seasons with New York. During that span, he compiled 4.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game. That’s heinous for a player with $30 million attached to his name. Not only did Jeffries play in just 184 of a possible 246 games, but he started less than 53 percent of his appearances in the blue and orange.

The Knicks coaching staff was fully aware of his limitations and they respectfully didn’t play him all that much just to maintain a strong optic in the front office. Signing him was a gaffe and New York owned it.

At the 2009-2010 trade deadline, the Knicks finally jettisoned Jeffries in a deal with the Houston Rockets. However, they jumped right back into the pit of misery by acquiring him off waivers the following season.

What on earth did New York see in Jeffries? Somebody enlighten us because the nightmares that followed his signing are back. This contract didn’t exactly paralyze the Knicks from an economic perspective, but it deserves to be recognized as one of the most infamous in team history.