Knicks Rumors: Best Remaining Options to Shore Up Perimeter Defense

The New York Knicks have yet to find a player to fill the shoes of Iman Shumpert for the first half of the season, and the options are beginning to dwindle.

With the 39-year-old Jason Kidd and the inconsistent Raymond Felton and J.R. Smith on board, they need to bolster their defense on the perimeter.

With little more than the veteran’s minimum left to offer, the Knicks are sifting through the bargain bin.

So who is still available?

ESPN New York’s Jared Zwerling has laid out multiple options who are “likely on the Knicks' radar.” They include: Sonny Weems, Matt Barnes, Ronnie Brewer, Carlos Delfino, Randy Foye and C.J. Miles.

Going off that list, here are the three top free agent options best suited for what the Knicks need to ensure they don’t get passed by the Brooklyn Nets in the Big Apple.  

Ronnie Brewer

This is the ideal fit for the Knicks.

Brewer ranked 10th among shooting guards in steals last season with 1.09. It’s a testament to his quick feet and terrific anticipation in the passing lanes.

At 6’7’’, he has a height advantage over almost every other player at his position, and that led to 3.5 rebounds a night in only 24.8 minutes last year with the Chicago Bulls.

He certainly doesn’t have the prettiest jump shot, but he doesn’t need to on this Knicks team. They need defense and Brewer can provide it at a cheap price.

Sonny Weems

You may have forgotten about Weems after he played overseas in Lithuania this past season because of the lockout.

He averaged 9.2 points in the 2010-11 season for the Toronto Raptors, but he isn’t a great shooter (44 percent in his career). What Weems brings to the table is impressive athleticism that allows him to be an above-average defender with the ability to effectively defend opposing point or shooting guards.

Yet the 26-year-old suffered a brutal left ankle injury in March, and it remains to be seen if he is going to be 100 percent ready to go by the beginning of the season.

Not the best option, but Weems can certainly be an asset to this Knicks team.

C.J. Miles

The seven-year veteran certainly fits in with the Knicks' aging backcourt, and he is the best offensive player on the list.

Then again, a career 41 percent volume shooter is not exactly what the Knicks need from this position.

His defense is merely average, and if he could never average more than 25 minutes a night for the Utah Jazz, it’s hard to see him getting any better.

Not a great fit.

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