Celtics Sign Free Agent McDaniel

The Boston Celtics launched their first bold strike of the post-Larry Bird era Thursday, signing unrestricted free agent Xavier McDaniel away from the New York Knicks.

Twenty-three days after Bird’s retirement announcement, the Celtics signed McDaniel to a five-year contract, with three years guaranteed, after McDaniel had grown impatient with the Knicks’ negotiating pace. The value of his Boston contract was not announced, although it is known that the Celtics have an option on the fourth year and McDaniel has one on the fifth.

“(The Celtics) did it in one day,” McDaniel said. “It was taking New York nine months.”

Said Knick President David Checketts: “It’s disappointing. But X decided that he didn’t want to be here. We had been negotiating in good faith and wanted him to be part of what we’re building here. They never gave us the opportunity to pay him more, which we would have done. He went to Boston and made a quick decision.”

McDaniel has averaged 19.1 points and 6.8 rebounds and shot 49.3% in seven seasons.