New York Knicks May Have to Get Creative in 2015 NBA Free Agency
The New York Knicks put up the "Everything Must Go!" sign in January, cleared out the old inventory and made room for free-agent contracts this offseason. New York has only one draft pick and few trade assets, but it does have money to spend. Unfortunately, the best players about to enter the free-agent market aren't too interested in being bought, at least probably not by the Knicks.
So instead of creating the perfect team by splurging on one platinum-and-diamond treasure, the Knicks will have to buy a few more modest pieces. Between the draft and free agency, Phil Jackson should be able to bring home a more reliable shooting guard, a stronger backup for Carmelo Anthony and more power inside.
Shouldn't Want Or Aren't Going To Get
Let's do some process of elimination.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Dallas Mavericks might let their big-name unrestricted free agents—Kevin Love and Rajan Rondo—leave town without much of a fight. The Knicks should resist any urge to pick them up.
Regardless of whether you believe Rondo is a "selfish sharer" or Love plays no defense, you cannot deny both have had troubles "fitting in." The Knicks don't have time to waste on managing delicate or difficult personalities.
The more tempting fruits are out of reach. The Portland Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge told The Oregonian's Joe Freeman, via Pro Basketball Talk's Dan Feldman "I want to be the best Blazer. Ever." The San Antonio Spurs' Kawhi Leonard told Sam Amick of USA Today, "I don't think I'm going anywhere. I'm pretty sure I'll be in a Spurs jersey for my whole life."
As for the Chicago Bulls' Jimmy Butler, the Bulls "fully expect to sign Butler to a max deal next July before another team even gets involved to tempt him with an offer sheet," reports David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. Unless the Bulls, Blazers and Spurs are monumentally stupid (and they aren't), those players are going nowhere.
Rumor has it, the Golden State Warriors will pay up to re-sign Draymond Green. Diamond Leung of Bay Area News Group reports Klay Thompon's dad Mychal Thompson told him the Warriors "said they're going to match whatever. Doesn't matter."
Goran Dragic told Bleacher Report's Jared Zwerling, "I'm really hoping to stay in Miami." "A little bird" told Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops that the Memphis Grizzlies' Marc Gasol has already decided not to come to New York.
The Los Angeles Clippers' DeAndre Jordan told Sam Amick of the NBA A to Z podcast (via Kevin Spain):
"“I mean I’ve obviously been here seven years, and the past two have been great,” [Jordan] said. “Doc (Clippers coach Doc Rivers) has been my biggest supporter and the best coach I’ve ever had. The team is great. The guys are great. We have great camaraderie. But the free agency process is definitely going to be a fun one.”
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Jordan sounds eager to enjoy the courting rituals—the splashy nights out with potential star teammates, the lovey-dovey promises of eager executives, the giant, handsome posters of him in a local jersey hanging in the streets. Yet, just because he'll enjoy being seduced, doesn't mean he'll stray from L.A., a major contender, to come to a struggling franchise.
Beefing Up The Frontcourt
So what's left? There are a few tantalizing opportunities to bolster the Knicks frontcourt. The Knicks have been weak in the low post, needed a better rim protector and needed someone to back up 'Melo in a way that Lance Thomas and Cleanthony Early just can't. So the Knicks should combine a few of the following options.
Option 1: Sign Greg Monroe. The hottest item the Knicks both should want and could get is the Detroit Pistons' center-forward Greg Monroe. The Knicks know how good he is because he has stomped all over them this year—28 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks in their last meeting.
Monroe would give New York that low-post presence and the rebounds it so desperately needs. He's young, strong, has plenty of hustle and can deliver a block his opponent won't soon forget. Monroe might draw a max deal of $15.7 million.
Option 2: Sign Robin Lopez. The Blazers might not want to part with their starting center. Yet, if the Knicks can woo him to New York, they could benefit from Lopez's defense, big energy and rich set of intangibles. Plus, he has more exciting hair than his brother. Lopez is averaging 9.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.0 assists for the Blazers this season. He would cost the Knicks about $9 million.
Option 3: Draft Jahlil Okafor, Karl-Anthony Towns or Willie Cauley-Stein. Before teams can start sending love notes and fruit bouquets to free agents, they get to pluck a young stud out of the draft. Although the Knicks should probably go after Monroe regardless of whom they pick, the position and style of the player they choose could impact what FAs they try to attract.
Okafor is mostly offense, Cauley-Stein mostly defense, Towns the best combination of the two. Any one of them would help the Knicks, if they decide to go for a big man in the draft.
Option 4: Sign Tobias Harris. He'll be a restricted free agent, but if the Knicks can get him away from the Orlando Magic and sell him on the idea of being a reserve, not a starter, he could be the 'Melo backup the team's been needing.
Harris could also be a starter in New York, if 'Melo moved up to the power forward position again. If Action Jackson culls this season's front-heavy roster to make room for Anthony at the 4 spot, it could work. Plus, Harris is a local kid from Long Island, which would hopefully sweeten the deal. He would cost about $9 million.
Option 5: Re-sign Andrea Bargnani? It borders on madness, and yet it might be smart, if he's willing to take a serious pay cut. Bargnani's monstrous contract finally comes off the books at the end of the season, and until quite recently the idea of signing him back for more than a nickel was folly. Yet, Bargnani has been fantastic lately, averaging over 18 points the past eight games, scoring at the rim as well as from range.
But that's sort of the trouble. Do the Knicks want to fall in love with Bargnani again, only to have him break their hearts again? Maybe, just not for another $11.5 million. Per Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, Wednesday:
"[Bargnani's] two injury-filled, unproductive seasons with the Knicks will end next month but there is already a sense that team president Phil Jackson, encouraged by Bargnani’s play over the past 20 games, will strongly consider re-signing the free agent forward... for the right price, of course.
Bargnani’s agent, Leon Rose, confirmed on Tuesday that his client would welcome a second chance with the Knicks.
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Solving the Shooting Guard Problem
The Knicks have had troubles at the 2 spot for a long time. In Tim Hardaway Jr. and J.R. Smith, they've had shooting guards who can put up 30 in one night, but couldn't reliably give you 13 or 14. A reliable shooter, even coming off the bench, is something New York sorely needs.
Option 1: Draft D'Angelo Russell. The Ohio State freshman is a top-five draft pick, for sure, not just for his shooting, but for his passing. The James Harden comparisons are well-founded (but Russell is easier to like). Russell usually plays the point for Ohio State, but he could be a better fit for the Knicks at the 2.
Option 2: Sign Wesley Matthews. If the Knicks look to solve their shooting guard problem in the free-agent market, the most obvious choice a few weeks ago would have been the Blazers' gun Wes Matthews. However, after being an iron man throughout his career, Matthews suffered a season-ending Achilles tear March 5. It was a non-contact injury—the most worrisome kind.
No doubt, it raises questions about Matthews' health. Even so, Matthews could be worth the risk, not just because of his shooting, but because of his energy, his defense, and the fact that he's more talented than most of the rather slim pickins at his position. The cruel truth is that the injury could make it easier for the Knicks to pry him away from Portland and at a lower cost.
Option 3: Sign Marco Belinelli. The Spurs will probably try to keep Belinelli, an unrestricted FA, but the Knicks should consider making a strong play for him. If a reliable scorer providing 10 points off the bench is what they're looking for, then he's the guy. Belinelli is averaging 9.5 points in 22 minutes, shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 38.8 percent behind the arc for San Antonio this season, and he has been delivering numbers like that for nearly eight years.
The question is, will he want to leave? Tempting anyone away from a franchise like the Spurs for one like New York is going to take either more money or more prestige. He'd cost the Knicks about $5.5 million.
Jackson has a lot to do and a lot to prove (as an executive). Maybe he can't, in one offseason, give the Knicks a championship-winning team. He can, however, give them some strong, young, affordable role players to build a team on—far preferable to the old habit of blowing huge wads of cash on zillion-year contracts to busted-up players two years before they retire.
Follow Sara Peters on Twitter @3FromThe7.
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