NBA Free Agents 2012: New York Knicks Free-Agent Odds

Following one of the most roller-coaster seasons in the NBA that brought the New York Knicks the disappointment of multiple injuries as well as the excitement of Jeremy Lin’s emergence, the Knicks must look forward to next year and address players with expiring contracts.

Lin certainly has to be the Knicks biggest priority for next season considering that Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler are all under contract for the foreseeable future. However, there are a few other players who will hit free agency this offseason as well.

Here are the odds of each Knicks free agent as to whether or not each player will remain in New York next season.

J.R. Smith

Last season's stats: 12.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game

J.R. Smith was a late addition to the Knicks roster last season after signing a contract to play in China. Smith proved once again to be a streaky scorer who can catch fire from three-point land.

Smith has a player option to stay with New York under a $2.5 million contract, but it appears as if Smith will decline that option and hop into the free-agent pool.

Smith is a dynamic scorer at the shooting guard spot, but with Carmelo Anthony already on the roster (another player who utilizes isolation offense to score), Smith may prove not to be the best fit.

In addition, the Knicks will likely need every dollar at their disposal to ensure the re-signing of point guard Jeremy Lin, so it appears unlikely that Smith will be back in a Knicks uniform next season.

Some teams reported to be interested in the shooting guard are the Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers.

Odds of return: 25 percent

Mike Bibby

Last season's stats: 2.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.5 rebounds per game

Long gone are the days of Mike Bibby being a dynamic, game-changing player like he was at the University of Arizona and with the Sacramento Kings.

Bibby still has the ability to knock down the occasional three-point shot, but at this stage in his career he has difficulty guarding his own shadow.

He was buried on the Knicks point guard depth chart behind Jeremy Lin, Baron Davis, and at times, Toney Douglas.

I would be surprised if Bibby chose not to retire this offseason, but if he returns to the NBA for another year, the chances that it’s with the Knicks are remote at best.

Odds of return: 5 percent

Baron Davis

Last season's stats: 6.1 points, 4.7 assists, and 1.9 rebounds per game

After undergoing back surgery, which kept Baron Davis out for the start of last season, Davis’ season ended the same way it started, with injury.

Driving to the basket in the playoffs against the Miami Heat, Davis’ knee buckled awkwardly as he went down to the floor in a heap. Smiling sarcastically, Davis was somewhat aware of the magnitude of the injury that had just occurred.

Davis suffered a complete tear of both his ACL and MCL, as well as a partial tear to his PCL, meaning a 12-month recovery period.

At 33 years old, it’s unlikely that Davis will try and make a comeback to the NBA after back surgery and imminent knee surgery. This is certainly a sad end to Davis’ career, but after committing more turnovers (76) than he had made field goals (68) during the season, retirement seemed inevitable anyway.

Odds of return: 5 percent

Jared Jeffries

Last season's stats: 4.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks per game

Outside of Tyson Chandler and Amar'e Stoudemire, Jared Jeffries accounted for the only “size” the Knicks had at their disposal.

During the season, Jeffries was asked on multiple occasions to guard opposing power forwards and centers, which was certainly a tough task even for the defensively inclined veteran.

As good as Jeffries was on the defensive end, he’s completely inept offensively.

Despite having spent 10 seasons in the NBA, Jeffries has not been able to develop any offensive skills (his career high in a season is 6.8 points per game).

Jeffries will likely get a look from the Knicks in free agency because of his defensive prowess, but the Knicks sorely need to get bigger in terms of their frontcourt depth. Jeffries may not fit that mold.

Odds of return: 40 percent

Steve Novak

Last season's stats: 8.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.2 assists per game

For a player signed off waivers from the Houston Rockets, Steve Novak managed to make a meaningful impact with the Knicks because of his three-point sharpshooting.

Novak has proven to be a great fit in the Knicks offense as a player who can spread the floor with his dead-eye shooting range.

Although he’s a bit of a liability on the defensive end, he has also had his moments as a decent defensive player.

Considering that the Knicks will likely be able to retain Novak for a cheap price, my best bet would be that New York chooses to retain him for at least another season.

Odds of return: 70 percent

Landry Fields

Last season's stats: 8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game

The former second round selection out of Stanford has had an impressive career thus far with the New York Knicks.

With that said, Fields regressed in a big way during his sophomore season. His point and rebounding numbers were both down from his rookie year as well as his field goal, three-point and free-throw percentages.

Fields also had a lackluster postseason performance against the Miami Heat, in which he recorded nine turnovers in five games. He only notched double-digit points in one game and never grabbed more than five rebounds.

As an underdog second-round pick, Fields has gained a lot of fanfare with the New York faithful. However, if his second year is an indication of the player he’ll be on a consistent basis, the Knicks may be smart to let another NBA team sign him to a big deal.

Odds of return: 50 percent

Jeremy Lin

Last season's stats: 14.6 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game

Midway through the season, “Linsanity” took over New York and led a reeling Knicks team to a seven-game win streak.

Injuries to Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire, as well as the insecurity regarding Mike D’Antoni’s job at the time took a back seat to Lin’s brilliance on the basketball court.

Unfortunately, Lin’s torn meniscus in his knee ended his season and prevented him from playing in any playoff games.

Lin will without a doubt be ready to play next season though, and the Knicks must do everything in their power to retain him.

Although the sample size wasn’t huge, Lin simply means too much to the Knicks moving forward.

Not only do the Knicks need a capable point guard running the show, but Lin is also a marketing gold mine for the organization.

I don’t see any scenario in which the Knicks can let Lin get away. It helps that Lin will likely show loyalty to the first NBA team to give him a legitimate chance at showcasing his talents.

Odds of return: 97 percent