I think that shot was an airball. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The biggest winner in the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors battle to land Steve Nash will no doubt be Landry Fields.

Fields and the Raptors have reportedly reached a verbal agreement on a 3-year, $20 million deal… That’s just under $7 million a year for a shooting guard who scored 8.8 points per game and shot 26 percent from behind the arc last season.

The boys in charge North of the Border are basically making this move to assure the Knicks won’t have any leverage to work a sign and trade with Phoenix for Steve Nash. There had been rumblings of such a deal as recently as Monday.

And, while this deal almost certainly takes the Knicks out of the running for Nash, it will probably take the Raptors out of the running for the playoffs over the next few years; If they do end up signing Nash, that will leave 56 million dollars tied up between two players for three seasons. Nash certainly makes that team better, but the addition of Fields won’t really mean much in the win/loss column.

There’s still a chance Nash ends up in New York. Phoenix apparently really likes Iman Shumpert, and if the Knicks were to offer him in a sign and trade situation, the Suns would think long and hard about it.

For now though, it looks like Nash is going to finish out his career on a middling team. At least he’ll be going home, and you can’t knock a guy for wanting to do that.

Mar 21, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin (17) is defended by Philadelphia 76ers guard Jrue Holiday (11) during the second quarter at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

I just saw a tweet that said the Charlotte Bobcats, Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets are interested in signing free agent power forward J.J. Hickson.

Hickson, who’s been in the league for four years, had a weird 2011/12 season.

He was signed by the Kings in the off season, played so poorly that Sacramento waved him, got picked up by the Trail Blazers, and averaged 15 points and eight rebounds over the last 19 games of the season.

He made less than three million dollars last season, and my guess is he’ll sign with the team that gives him the best deal.

Other free agent news on this great Monday morning includes… well not too much news.

The Nets are trying to swing so many deals that Chris Brousard’s head must be ready to burst. They’re willing to take on Joe Johnson and his horrifying salary, but they won’t give up Marshon Brooks. They also want to trade for Dwight Howard, sign Steve Nash and if they don’t get any of those guys, they’re likely to match any offer Brook Lopez receives.

The Houston Rockets and Omer Asik have reportedly agreed to a 3-year deal worth over $25 million, and while the Bulls say resigning him is a priority, 72 percent of Bulls fans don’t want their team to match that offer.

Finally, Knicks fans might need to worry about losing Jeremy Lin if the Raptors don’t sign Steve Nash.

According to SI [which cited Chris Brousard (who spoke hypothetically)]:

“While both Lin and the Knicks are hoping for a reunion, sources say that if any clubs offer Lin, a restricted free agent, a backloaded contract that pays him an eight-figure salary in the third and fourth years, the Knicks could be given pause about matching the offer.”

Don’t expect New York to let Lin walk, though. GM Glen Grunwald is going to wait to see what other teams offer his point guard, because he can match any deal.