Offer sheet to Landry Fields could help Raptors chances of landing Steve Nash

If the reported three-year $36-million contract offer to Steve Nash didn't convince you that Bryan Colangelo and the Toronto Raptors were serious about bringing the Canadian guard on board, the offer made to New York Knicks restricted free agent Landry Fields should.

The Raptors have reached a verbal agreement with Fields on a three-year $20-million offer sheet (roughly $5.5 million in the first two years and $9 million in the third). While the Knicks will have three days to match the offer (beginning July 11 when contracts can officially be signed), they are unlikely to do so.

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Much like the deal the Houston Rockets agreed to with Omer Asik, Fields' pact includes a huge raise in the third season. That third year is referred to as a 'poison pill' and makes these types of deals hard to swallow for teams trying to retain their UFAs. Under the new CBA, the Raptors can pay Fields the average yearly salary of the deal (roughly $6.6 million) while the Knicks would have to pay him straight up. With the New York already on the books for over $61 million for just four players in 2014-2015, committing another $9 million doesn't make a ton of sense at this point.

Don't get me wrong, Fields is a fine player. Although his numbers dipped last season after a surprising rookie campaign, he's exactly the type of player Dwane Casey covets as he continues to change the culture of the Raptors. Fields' best assets aren't necessarily those that show up on a box score. He's mostly an intangibles player, doing the little things that help basketball teams win games. But his true value to Toronto isn't necessarily predicated on his on-court performance, but rather what his contract offer means to the Knicks' pursuit of Nash.

New York is unable to offer Nash more than the $3 million mid-level exception, or a quarter of what the Raptors are reportedly offering. One way around this would be a sign and trade. Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski first reported that Nash's current team — the Phoenix Suns — are interested in Fields in such a deal. If Fields is retained by matching another team's offer sheet, however, the Knicks wouldn't be allowed to trade him this summer. So if the Raptors' offer doesn't completely ruin New York's chances of landing the two-time MVP, it makes it much less likely than once thought.

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Aside from the Knicks, Toronto's only other true competition comes in the form of Nash's old buddy Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas has the salary cap space and the need, but does Nash really want to go back to Dallas? He didn't exactly leave on the greatest of terms in 2004 when Dallas owner Mark Cuban became weary of Nash's longevity (but really, can you blame him?)

The offer sheet signed by Fields and the Raptors shows just how serious Colangelo is about bringing Nash aboard. Between the two, Toronto would be committing $56 million over the next three years and would have to surrender Jose Calderon, the longest-serving Raptor, via trade or amnesty clause. But bringing Nash in would generate a buzz the Raptors haven't seen since the days of Vince Carter and the marketing opportunities would be endless. With Nash's increasing age (he'll turn 39 during the upcoming season), this is a deal that is just as much about business as it is about basketball.

If Colangelo's current ploy doesn't work, Toronto could always infuriate Knicks fans even further by making a similar but more lucrative pitch to Fields' handshake buddy — Jeremy Lin. But that's another topic for another day. For now, let's wait and see if Colangelo has thrown a large enough wrench into New York's plans to bring basketball's Captain Canada home.