NEW YORK – The New York Knicks reacquired a point guard
from their past Thursday, getting Mark Jackson from the Toronto
Raptors along with Muggsy Bogues for Chris Childs and a No. 1 draft
pick.
|  | | Brooklyn native and former Knick Mark Jackson will return to the Big Apple. |
The trade was completed just before the 6 p.m. NBA trading
deadline.
The 35-year-old Jackson, in his 14th season, spent his first
five years with the Knicks and won the Rookie of the Year award in
1987-88. On Tuesday, he moved past Isiah Thomas into fourth place
on the NBA career assists list.
Childs has spent the past several seasons as the Knicks' backup
point guard behind Charlie Ward. For now, coach Lenny Wilkens said
Childs will be the backup to starter Alvin Williams for one of the
Knicks' newest Eastern Conference rivals.
"He played his heart out for us, and we have to thank him for
that," Knicks general manager Scott Layden said. "He was with the
club a long time and has been through a lot of big wins and great
playoff games."
Jackson has been a big part of many Knicks rivalries, both for
and against them. He spent six seasons with the Indiana Pacers –
helping eliminate New York in last season's Eastern Conference
finals – and was best friends with Knicks nemesis Reggie Miller.
"It's really coming full circle for him," Layden said. "We're
excited about bringing him back home."
Bogues, a 14-year veteran, was added to the trade to make it
work under salary-cap rules.
Toronto will receive Seattle's lottery-protected No. 1 draft
pick, which the Knicks acquired in the Patrick Ewing trade.
The trade was the second of this month for the Knicks, who
earlier acquired Othella Harrington from Vancouver for Erick
Strickland and another of the No. 1 picks they received in the
Ewing deal.
"It appeared to me that nothing was going to happen, but that's
the ebb and flow of this time of year," Layden said. "This did
not heat up until the early or late afternoon."
Jackson has been averaging 8.5 points and 9.2 assists for the
Raptors.
Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy refused to say whether Jackson would
be a starter or a backup, saying he wished to speak to his team
first.
"His best quality is he's one of the best decision-makers in
the NBA. He gets the ball to people on time and on target," Van
Gundy said.
Jackson's greatest weakness is his lack of speed, while Childs
has been inconsistent throughout his 4 1/2 seasons in New York.
"I'll be able to get more playing time, and I like the uptempo
style Toronto will play," said Childs, who was at a barber shop
when he learned he had been traded.
Childs is averaging only 4.8 points and 4.6 assists, although he
had 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists Wednesday night
against Detroit.
"Childs has tons of playoff experience. He's very tough and
strong- minded, and he's a guy who can make big time shots,"
Wilkens said. "I feel Alvin will pick up in Mark's area. I'm
confident with the point guard situation."
Bogues has played in only three games this season because of a
chronic knee injury. To make room for him on their active roster,
the Knicks placed center Travis Knight on the injured list with a
sprained left ankle.
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AUDIO VIDEO
 Toronto head coach Lenny Wilkens was looking to change the team's chemistry with the trade.
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Toronto head coach Lenny Wilkens is expecting all three players to step in and contribute.
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