Metta World Peace to Knicks: New York Signs Veteran Small Forward

Metta World Peace may have been cut from the Los Angeles Lakers, but it didn’t take long for the mercurial forward to find a new home. The New York Knicks have reportedly come to terms with the forward on a two-year deal, per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports:

UPDATE: Tuesday, July 16, at 4:45 p.m. ET by Ian Hanford

World Peace let the world know on Tuesday that he was officially a member of the Knicks:

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Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com has more details on the deal between the Knicks and World Peace.

The 14-year veteran is the latest in a long list of amnesty-clause casualties brought on by the new collective bargaining agreement signed in 2011.

L.A. bought out World Peace to save approximately $16 million this season after four years with the Lakers, notably helping the club win a championship against the rival Boston Celtics in 2010. 

He can still contribute at a high level, as exemplified by his resurgent 2012-13 campaign. The swingman put up 12.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 33.7 minutes per contest, becoming one of the most consistent players for an up-and-down Lakers squad.

While the 33-year-old’s best days are behind him—he once averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game with a very good Indiana Pacers team in 2003-04—he should still find a way to shine for the Knicks.

With only one ring to his name, it could be that the player formerly known as Ron Artest is hanging around the league a bit longer to chase a second title. Another possibility is that the Queens native wanted to play in front of his hometown fans before hanging up his sneakers. New York City's big-market opportunities also cannot be ignored. 

Regardless of his reasoning, World Peace should make an impact with his three-point shooting, off-ball cuts and hounding defensive capabilities off the bench.