Knicks Rumors: Fresh Trade and Free-Agent Chatter Surrounding Future of Team
Owners of the NBA's worst record, the New York Knicks might look drastically different this time next week.
A team this bad (10-43) should not be inactive at the Feb. 19 trade deadline. While it is mostly talentless, the squad has a handful of players who could help contending teams. Plus, it's time to get rid of the parts that did not mesh into the winning formula President Phil Jackson attempted to put together this offseason.
Not every move comes by way of trade, though. The period directly after the deadline is the buyout period, when disgruntled and/or ineffective players get cut loose. That frees up playing time for youngsters as well as dollars for big-ticket free agents during the summer.
What will the Knicks do at the deadline? Nothing's working, and with Carmelo Anthony set for season-ending surgery, all hope is lost for the remainder of the season. Expect moves aplenty.
Jose Calderon and Pablo Prigioni
The first order of business should be trading two veteran guards. Both Jose Calderon and Pablo Prigioni have done their best to be facilitators on this team, and it isn't their fault the supporting cast (outside of Anthony) has trouble converting consistently.
On more star-studded teams, both Calderon and Prigioni could help. New York recognizes it might be able to get something for their services.
"The Knicks are trying to trade Calderon and Prigioni," writes Newsday's Al Iannazzone.
Iannazzone did not mention any teams that could vie for their services, but teams such as the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers—fringe contenders in the Eastern Conference—could benefit from adding either player. There's a strong chance two teams under .500 will make the postseason out of the East, so few teams are out of contention in the conference.
Adding the starter-caliber Calderon probably makes more sense for Indiana, as it would likely push Rodney Stuckey to the bench. Add the fact that Paul George could return in mid-March, and the Pacers might be able to sneak into the playoffs.
Prigioni is more of a bench facilitator, making him the better fit for Miami. Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers aren't getting it done, and they can't be relied upon in a world without the Big Three. It's time to bring in someone who can make everyone on the court better.
Andrea Bargnani
Next up is the buyout period, and Iannozzone has the latest on that as well.
"[Amar'e] Stoudemire and [Andrea] Bargnani likely will be bought out after the Feb. 19 trade deadline," he writes.
Stoudemire has already been granted his release, reports Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Isola lists the Dallas Mavericks, the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors as candidates to sign Stoudemire for the rest of the year, though one would have to think the Phoenix Suns—his former team—could jump into the mix as well.
It's not shocking to see Bargnani on the short list of candidates to be bought out. He has played just 44 games in over 1.5 seasons in New York, averaging only 12.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in 28.5 minutes per game. He has shot a decent mark of 43.9 percent from the floor, but the misses were bad misses. Not many Knicks fans have enjoyed his tenure in Madison Square Garden.
That said, the report that he could be bought out is interesting if you consider head coach Derek Fisher's recent comments, via an earlier report from Iannazzone. "I think he's a pretty fantastic player," Fisher said. "His potential, I think, excites us."
"Potential" has been the operative word for much of Bargnani's career. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft enjoyed four strong seasons with the Toronto Raptors from 2008 to 2011, though he hasn't been nearly as effective since.
It doesn't appear as if the Knicks will commit to letting him figure it out. His time in New York seems to be dwindling.
Free-Agent Targets
The Knicks need almost an entirely new team to be successful next season. Anthony, if healthy, will be key, but Tim Hardaway, Langston Galloway, Shane Larkin and Cole Aldrich all need to improve over the next few months to show they can hang in New York.
The biggest area of need is point guard, though adding a dominant center would help make New York more of an inside-outside threat.
Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops reports that players at both positions are on the Knicks' radar: "The Knicks will target several free agents this summer including Greg Monroe, whom I previously mentioned at the end of December, Reggie Jackson, Jimmy Butler and Wesley Matthews (should Butler sign elsewhere) according to league sources."
Those players are big-ticket items, so it could be hard to bring in more than one. If it comes down to one player, Monroe must be the guy Jackson and Co. recruit to MSG. He's one of the league's most dominant young big men and is an anchor for the interior defense of the Detroit Pistons.
Statistically, he has been one of the top producers in the NBA since 2011:
He's a walking double-double who converts field goals efficiently (50.5 career shooting percentage). That's the type of star the Knicks need to build around. At just 24 (25 by next season), he'll command a large contract that will pay him handsomely. New York can afford that.
Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn
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