Knicks' Contract Decisions Prove New York All-In on Building Through Free Agency
New York Knicks management isn't messing around here. Despite the lack of young talent on the roster, it's decided against committing to 22-year-old point guard Shane Larkin and 24-year-old combo Iman Shumpert past this season.
We pretty much saw this coming with Shumpert, who's regressed since tearing his ACL as a rookie. There's just too much uncertainty surrounding his game and not enough production worth rewarding.
But with Larkin, we're talking about serious cost-cutting. You typically see teams pick up third-year options on young first-round picks. Larkin and Golden State Warriors' guard Nemanja Nedovic, who was taken No. 30 overall, were the only ones from the 2013 first-round draft class whose third-year options were declined.
They're just tough to say no to, like the girl behind the refreshment counter at the movies who tells you the large is only 25 cents extra.
It would have cost the Knicks $1,675,320, per ShamSports.com, of their 2015-16 cap room to lock up Larkin for next season. Choosing not to was essentially a statement emphasizing their all-in move to build through free agency.
Carmelo Anthony, Jose Calderon, Pablo Prigioni, Tim Hardaway Jr. and J.R. Smith, assuming Smith opts into his $6,399,750 deal, will be the only guys under contract after the season. That means goodbye Amar'e Stoudemire, Andrea Bargnani, Samuel Dalembert—and probably Larkin and Shumpert.
The Knicks can still re-sign these guys as restricted or unrestricted free agents, but unless any are willing to return at discounts, you can probably forget about it.
For team president Phil Jackson and New York, not committing to Shumpert and Larkin is all about maximizing cap space for the next two summers. And as of right now, Jackson is looking at the type of flexibility that should allow him to throw maximum dollars at a free-agent prize in July 2015.
That's really the only answer for the Knicks, who've been unable to upgrade the roster with Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony each making over $20 million a year.
New York has been waiting for this opportunity for a few seasons now, and Jackson apparently isn't risking any of it on unproven role players like Shumpert and Larkin.
He shouldn't. The Knicks have finally positioned themselves to land another star they can pair with 'Melo. And they'd be crazy not to have Marc Gasol sitting right atop their must-get list.
There's a good chance he'll be unrestricted in July. And what a fit he'd be in New York.
Between his passing ability and shooting touch for the triangle, along with his Defensive Player of the Year capability and toughness up front, Gasol makes sense for the Knicks from just about every single angle.
His brother Pau even recently told Zach Braziller of the New York Post that it's "possible" Marc could land with the Knicks and that he talked to him "enough about Phil that he knows what he brings to the table."
Gasol is the type of addition that could potentially help move the needle for New York. He did for the Memphis Grizzlies, now one of the more feared grown-man type of teams in the Western Conference.
Jackson might also have the chance to go after Rajon Rondo, though personally, I'm not sure the fit is convincing enough—given his weaknesses as a shooter and ball-dominant tendencies—for the Knicks to pay top dollar.
If Jackson swings and misses on Gasol and passes or whiffs on Rondo, smaller free-agent fish like Greg Monroe, Paul Millsap and Wesley Matthews could all get looks as well.
By not extending Shumpert long term, Jackson also appears to be saving up for July 2016.
ESPNNewYork.com's Ian Begley notes that depending on how they choose to spend this summer and how the TV contract impacts the cap, "New York might be able to chase max free agents in summer 2016, when Kevin Durant is expected to be available."
Obviously, Durant is a long shot that shouldn't even be thought about in 2014, but the Knicks' idea here is clear and sensible—have as much money to spend on the best available players. Because Jackson isn't improving the team through the draft, and trading for stars without picks is awfully difficult (the Knicks lost their 2016 first-round pick in the Bargnani trade, and the rule states you can't trade back-to-back first-round picks, meaning they can't offer their 2017 pick to anyone).
I'm not breaking any news here, but to compete for a title in this league, you typically need a team driven by star power. Jackson knows it from his time with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.
The Knicks have waited too long to recharge their star power with Stoudemire's contract having clogged up the books the past couple of seasons.
Maybe Larkin ends up emerging into a serviceable backup point guard. And maybe Shumpert's offensive game comes around. But the chances of each happening soon, along with the potential reward that's tied to them, aren't worth jeopardizing the team's chances of landing additional game-changing marquee players.
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