Playing Keep or Cut with All of New York Knicks' Free Agents
The New York Knicks may have their eyes on big-name free agents going into the 2015 offseason, but they also have some interesting choices to make with their own crop of expiring contracts.
As their 17-65 record suggests, there were no stars on the Knicks' roster last season besides Carmelo Anthony, but there were a handful of players who could be useful if brought back for smaller roles.
Once New York has made its major moves, the focus will then turn to building the second unit. On short notice, bringing back known entities from the previous year makes sense in terms of chemistry and the price they're likely to demand.
In order to maximize cap space, the Knicks are going to need to renounce most of these players, but it's still very possible they could be brought back later in the offseason as unrestricted free agents. Let's run through the Knicks' expiring contracts and pick out the players worth keeping for the next stage of the rebuild.
Langston Galloway
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Langston Galloway was the feel good story of the 2014-15 campaign for the Knicks, emerging from the NBA D-League to earn a starting role and a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract for next season.
The Knicks do have the option to cut Galloway and avoid the full cap hit, but based on his production it's a no-brainer to keep him locked up. If they were to let him hit unrestricted free agency, there would be plenty of teams in the market for a cheap, two-way wing with decent upside.
Galloway put up 13.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game for New York last season, and he was also one of the team's few bright spots on the defensive end.
With the ability to spread the floor and play two positions, he's just the kind of utility player the Knicks could use on the bench. Depending on how the rest of the lineup works out, it wouldn't even be too concerning to see him retain his starting role.
If they don't draft a point guard, the Knicks could look at players like Patrick Beverley and Rajon Rondo in free agency, but based on recent form, Galloway isn't too far off them and is significantly cheaper. Keeping him around could be a way of saving money to dangle at a big-name center like Greg Monroe instead—arguably a much bigger need in the triangle offense.
Verdict: Keep
Cleanthony Early
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Cleanthony Early already has a guaranteed contract for next season, but after a disappointing showing as a rookie, the decision isn't quite as clear-cut whether to keep him.
Early should still ultimately be kept, simply because his $845,000 salary isn't too far off the $525,000 cap hold for an empty roster spot. This isn't, however, a case of the Knicks being sure they have a player on their hands who's definitely going to be a contributor off the bench.
After struggling with knee and hip injuries, Early was only able to put up 5.4 points per game, shooting a discouraging 36 percent from the field. That isn't particularly surprising given his injuries and lack of consistent playing time kept him out of rhythm, but is still concerning.
It was in his three D-League appearances for the Westchester Knicks that Early made his best case to be kept moving forward. He averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds per game there, shooting 46 percent from the field and showing what he's capable of with regular minutes (albeit against weaker competition).
Verdict: Keep
Shane Larkin
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The writing has been on the wall for Shane Larkin since the Knicks declined to pick up his team option way back in October 2014, and it's still hard to picture him returning for next season.
New York will undoubtedly be looking for an upgrade at point guard this summer, and such an acquisition would push Larkin way down in the depth chart. If the Knicks find a way to get rid of Jose Calderon, then Larkin could be useful as insurance behind Galloway and whoever else is brought in at the 1, but other than that he is entirely expendable.
Though Larkin is fast, his lack of height and his inability to effectively spread the floor make him a poor fit in the triangle. Considering how deep the NBA as a whole is at point guard now, his undersized build makes it difficult to see him developing into a particularly significant player regardless of the system.
Verdict: Cut
Ricky Ledo
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Though the sample size wasn't particularly big, Ricky Ledo did enough in his 12-game stint toward the end of the season to prove that he's a worthy NBA player.
Ledo shouldn't be as big of a priority as someone like Galloway for the Knicks, but a summer league and training camp invite should at least be on the cards. Shooting 42 percent from downtown, Ledo was particularly effective offensively as a spot-up shooter, and on the defensive end he at least has raw potential.
He can provide depth and versatility on the wing, which should be useful depending on how many additional swingmen the Knicks are able to acquire in the draft or free agency.
Verdict: Keep—as a summer league invite
Quincy Acy
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The Knicks' frontcourt should see major upgrades this coming summer, but there will still be a place for physical, defensive-minded bigs on the bench.
Quincy Acy is the type of player who can provide a spark of toughness and energy to a competitive team, but as one of the focal points on a weaker team he struggled. Bringing him back for a smaller role should see the best brought out of him.
Acy offers at the very least aggression and rebounding, with the potential to make some noise on the offensive end if he continues to work on his jump shot. Though it may not make sense to sign his $1.2 million qualifying offer, if he's available for the minimum later in the summer, Acy would be a great fit to round out the depth chart at forward.
Verdict: Keep
Travis Wear
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For an undrafted forward, the Knicks couldn't have asked much more of Travis Wear in 2014-15. He played his part on the defensive end and occasionally showed flashes on offense as a shooter.
Wear is not necessarily a bad player for who he is, but on an improved roster, he's the type of player that's going to be squeezed out. He already plays at the same position as Carmelo Anthony, and if the Knicks improve their depth as hoped, there isn't going to be room for Wear.
Verdict: Cut
Lou Amundson
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Lou Amundson emerged as one of the Knicks' better players toward the end of 2014-15, and his mix of intensity and experience should make him a great fit even as the roster improves.
This is a player who actually would have been a great fit for the Knicks when they were near the top of the Eastern Conference back in 2012-13, but he struggled to find durable depth in the frontcourt. Now that the Knicks are hoping to be competing for a playoff spot again next year, this is a chance to make amends with some cost-effective depth at power forward and center.
Amundson averaged 10.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per 36 minutes in 41 games with the Knicks. Considering that came against starting-quality opponents, the Knicks can expect him to continue to produce efficiently once he moves back to the bench where he has been for much of his career. There isn't much more you can ask for with the veteran's minimum.
Verdict: Keep
Jason Smith
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Compared to the other bigs on this list, Jason Smith is one of the better offensive players the Knicks had at their disposal last season, but his skill set and above-minimum salary asking price make him a poor fit.
If the Knicks find an upgrade at starting center, what they will need off the bench is defense, rebounding and consistency. They don't need someone who can't hold his own defensively, takes poor shots and goes missing for stretches at a time during the season.
For the smaller roles they're going to be playing, the likes of Acy, Amundson and Cole Aldrich seem like much better fits for the Knicks. Andrea Bargnani, meanwhile, offers better offensive production at a hopefully comparable price.
Verdict: Cut
Cole Aldrich
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Bringing down 12.5 boards per 36 minutes, Cole Aldrich was New York's most effective rebounder in 2014-15, and as he steadily improves in other areas it makes sense to keep him as a member of the second unit for another year.
Shooting 48 percent from the field, Aldrich is aware of his limitations on offense, although he did start to look more comfortable working in the post despite a few embarrassing slip-ups.
Where he's really going to work for the Knicks is as more of a defensive specialist. Career averages of 12 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per 36 minutes are nothing to scoff at, and he's already proven he can make some noise in a small role. It actually might be interesting to see what Aldrich could offer playing more than just 16 minutes a night, but for now the minimum salary and a reprise of that role should suffice.
Verdict: Keep
Lance Thomas
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It wouldn't be too surprising to see Lance Thomas on the Knicks' roster next season. He's versatile in his ability to play both forward spots, and for the minimum his 8.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in 2014-15 were good value.
This is another case of a player potentially being forced out by upgrades higher in the depth chart. If the Knicks rebuild their starting frontcourt around Melo, it could be difficult to fit Thomas along with Acy, Amundson, Aldrich and Bargnani on the bench.
Verdict: Cut
Alexey Shved
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Alexey Shved is potentially the most interesting of the Knicks' upcoming free agents. New York really doesn't need star power at point guard, and at times during his 16-game stint with the team, Shved looked like a borderline perfect fit in the triangle.
In what was potentially a career-saving stretch for Shved, he put up 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, threatening on a number of occasions to record a triple-double. His chemistry with Galloway and Bargnani kept games entertaining for New York in the second half when it was more than clear the tank was on.
The real issue is that Shved has a qualifying offer of $4.1 million, a little above what the Knicks should ideally be paying for him. Letting him hit unrestricted free agency and making a short-term offer between $2-3 million could be more beneficial.
Though it may be underwhelming to some, reprising the committee at point guard of Shved and Galloway could actually be the Knicks' best option for maximizing offseason spending.
Such a move would allow the team to draft a forward like Justise Winslow, make a move for a major center free agent and still have plenty of money left over for more help on the wing. Given Shved and Galloway's flexibility in the backcourt, they could still take D'Angelo Russell or Emmanuel Mudiay at point guard if they were to fall to No. 4 and have the makings of a deep, fairly-priced guard unit.
Verdict: Keep—for the right price
Andrea Bargnani
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Say what you will about Andrea Bargnani, the man is clearly a very talented basketball player, and that showed as he stepped up in his contract year.
Bargnani averaged 19.7 points per 36 minutes on 45 percent shooting in 2014-15, looking a lot more efficient than we're used to seeing from him. His shot selection, passing and three-point shooting were also improvements, as he generally started to look like one of the few genuinely good fits in the triangle offense on New York's roster.
Injuries are still a significant concern, but on a cheap short-term deal, the Knicks should be able to bring the best out of Bargnani again in 2015-16 while minimizing risk. The key is giving him another potential contract to play for instead of rewarding him now for what was admittedly only 29 games of impressive basketball.
Within the range of the veteran's minimum up to $3 million, Bargnani would be a smart signing for the Knicks. He looked like a surprisingly good fit in the triangle, and he spreads the floor well and is quietly an effective man defender. If he is able to repeat his form from last season, there's no reason Bargnani couldn't work as one of the first bigs off the bench.
Verdict: Keep—but only with a significant pay cut
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