No, Metta World Peace will not be playing Arena Football this year. Nor will he play in China.
After clearing waivers following his amnesty waiver from the Lakers, World Peace went through Door No. 1 and signed a two-year deal with the New York Knicks, Crossover Chronicles confirmed. Terms of the deal are not known, but considering the Knicks are over the cap, it is likely through that it is a deal at the veteran's minimum or as part of the taxpayer mid-level exception starting around $1.6 million.
Either way, World Peace joins a team that is stacked with veterans and guys who can shoot, but maybe a lack of defensive toughness and will. That is where World Peace theoretically comes in.
World Peace has cut his teeth in the NBA for the last 14 years as an elite defender. While he is no longer elite, he still can defend pretty well and be a nuisance for opponents.
Offensively, the veteran forward has fallen off. He bounced back some last year in averaging 12.4 points per game for the Lakers, but shot 40.3 percent from the floor and 34.2 percent from beyond the arc. He is not quite a floor spacer, something the Knicks offense has really taken advantage of with Steve Novak and recently signed Pacer Chris Copeland along with J.R. Smith in the backcourt.
This will be a hoemcoming for Metta World Peace. He was born in Queensbridge, New York, and went to school at St. John's. It did not seem World Peace wanted to play many other places and wanted to remain on a contender. He got that wish in teaming up with Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks, the team that finished second in the East last year.
Now, we will see whether World Peace (and/or his psyche) hold up for another year to help New York breakthrough back to the Conference Finals or beyond.
