Knicks Rumors: Ronnie Brewer Shouldn't Be Offered More Than a 1-Year Contract

With Iman Shumpert sidelined for the beginning of the 2012-2013 season, the New York Knicks are still looking to add a little bit of depth to the shooting guard position. 

J.R. Smith is already on board and Landry Fields could be brought back, but there are better options out there. Ronnie Brewer is one of those options, but only if he's signed to a one-year contract by Glen Grunwald and the rest of the Knicks' brass. 

According to ESPN's Jared Zwerling, the Knicks have expressed a bit of interest in the shooting guard now that he's an unrestricted free agent. 

Brewer is a terrific stopgap for the Knicks, but—once more—only if he's signed to a one-year deal. 

The 27-year-old guard is a solid option off the bench, but he's not capable of playing starter's minutes for the duration of a full season. When Brewer was put into a starting role with the Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau grew frustrated with him because his level of play slipped and he entered into a prolonged slump. 

Brewer is a nice option to start a game or two when injuries to other players necessitates his entry in the starting five. That's about it, though. 

He brings a lot to the table with his slashing abilities, perimeter game and outstanding defense, but all three of those assets are best served in small doses so he can maintain some level of efficiency. 

The thing is, that's pretty much exactly what Shumpert brings to the table as well, although he's not quite as good with his outside shooting and is a little better on defense. 

Zwerling also reports that Mike Woodson believes the Georgia Tech product is progressing ahead of schedule and could be back earlier than the expected January date. If that's the case, he'll create a logjam at shooting guard. 

J.R. is going to get his minutes. Shumpert needs the remainder of the time or else the Knicks risk hindering his development into a valuable player. Brewer only clogs the picture once Shumpert is back. 

For that reason, he should be signed to a one-year deal with the Knicks, but Grunwald needs to recognize that he's not the future of the position and limit the contract to that length of time. 

Anything else would just be unnecessary.