Knicks sign former Lakers Earl Clark and Shannon Brown
After cutting former Lakers forward Metta World Peace, the New York Knicks have since increased their collection of ex-Lakers.
On Thursday, the Knicks signed Earl Clark and Shannon Brown to 10-day contracts.
Clark joined the Lakers a year ago from Orlando as part of the Dwight Howard trade. Injuries thrust the 6-foot-10 forward into a sizable role. He played in 59 games (including 36 starts) while averaging 7.3 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.
In July, Clark signed a two-year, $8.5-million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The second year of the deal was not guaranteed, and the Cavaliers waived him Friday.
Through 45 appearances in Cleveland, Clark averaged 5.2 points a game while shooting just 37.5% from the field.
Brown played 2½ seasons with the Lakers, helping the franchise to titles in 2009 and 2010. He then signed a multiyear deal with the Suns, playing two years until an off-season trade this summer sent him to the Washington Wizards (along with current Laker Kendall Marshall).
Both Brown and Marshall were cut by the Wizards shortly after the trade. Brown was picked up recently by the San Antonio Spurs on a pair of 10-day contracts, since expired.
The Knicks (21-36) are still trying to climb into the playoffs, but a three-game losing streak has dropped them to 11th place in the Eastern Conference.
New York is five games behind the eighth-place Atlanta Hawks (26-31) but also behind the Detroit Pistons (23-35) and Cavaliers (23-36).
Five back in the Western Conference would probably too much to overcome with 25 games left, but in the weaker East the Knicks still have a viable chance.
For 10 days, Brown will earn $65,114 and Clark $55,759, but both will count as $52,017 each against the Knicks’ salary cap and luxury tax computation.
The Lakers are still paying World Peace $7.7 million for the 2013-14 season. The team waived him over the summer with their one-time amnesty that allowed them to remove his salary from the Lakers’ punitive luxury tax bill.
With the Knicks, he averaged 4.8 points and 2.0 rebounds a game in 29 appearances before being released Monday. World Peace remains a free agent.
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Twitter: @EricPincus
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