Keep or Cut: Here's How the New York Knicks Must Handle Their Free Agents
Hope you fans didn't grow too attached to the 2015-16 New York Knicks of 32-50 fame, because half the squad could be lost in free agency this summer.
The front office execs should hop on white horses and chase after a few of those players, bearing flowers, purring poetry, seducing them into re-signing. Others? It's probably cool to start ignoring their text messages.
Who's still hot and who's not? Here's a rundown of free agents the Knicks should let walk across a bridge and into the sunset.
Lou Amundson
The Knicks defense sorely needed more spark during the second half of the 2015-16 season. That's something Lou Amundson had provided in spades a season earlier, yet acting head coach Kurt Rambis nevertheless kept him on the bench collecting dust.
There's no reason to punish Sweet Lou with another year of irrelevance. It's possible he would get more love from Jeff Hornacek—whom the Knicks are reportedly expected to hire as head coach, according to Bleacher Report's Howard Beck Wednesday, but with whom no contract has yet been made, according to the New York Post's Marc Berman.
Yet Hornacek (or whoever) may still have the triangle offense foisted upon him, and while Amundson has two seasons of experience with the system, his ball-handling and passing skills have never been quite up to snuff. So it's probably time to let the journeyman mosey to the next stop on the road.
Kevin Seraphin
A center doesn't necessarily need to be a good ball-handler, but one dribble without a turnover shouldn't be too much to ask of any NBA player.
It's apparently too much to ask of Kevin Seraphin.
Plus, a man blessed with a 6'10", 278-pound frame should be a formidable blockade on the interior, but Seraphin fails to take advantage of his mass on defense. Instead, he more often causes spacing troubles on offense.
Seraphin does sometimes make up for those spacing issues with effective pocket passes and a smooth mid-range jumper, but those aren't attractive enough assets to tempt a team still pining for a strong backup 5.
Cleanthony Early
Plagued not only by athletic injuries, but bullet wounds, Cleanthony Early is a victim of bad luck. However, Cle also failed to distinguish himself during limited on-court opportunities in his first two seasons in the NBA, displaying questionable decision-making and inconsistent shooting.
One of Early's major assets has always been athleticism, but Derrick Williams plays the same position. He's also nearly athletic enough to make Early look like Chris Rock (pre-crack Pookie in New Jack City Chris Rock, but still), and his strong performance last season proved valuable.
If D-Will picks up his player option and returns for another season, Early's value to the Knicks will continue to drop. Better to give him a good reference and send him somewhere he's needed.
Arron Afflalo
Rambis never should have given Afflalo's starting job to Sasha Vujacic late last season, but that doesn't mean Afflalo should get it back next year.
When Afflalo declines his $8 million player option—and he most certainly will—the Knicks will have to beg if they want him back. Afflalo would want a hard promise of a starting job, a heartfelt apology and a hefty raise—none of which he's likely to get, because his 2015-16 performance was spotty.
The Knicks are better off letting a disgruntled Afflalo go and putting that $8 million toward a talented young two-way wing (Kent Bazemore, please).
It must be said, though, that if Afflalo goes, the Knicks would miss his ability to post up and create his own shot—both attractive qualities for a team that remains weak at the point guard position.
Who's Left?
Last summer, Derrick Williams moved to a new town and left behind all those names people used to call him. His game sparkled in New York. Now, he's a hot young buck with a $5 million player option who said "this offseason is going to be good," per Marc Berman of the New York Post. He may be seduced by a variety of teams he thinks can do better for him than a 32-50 record and a spot on the bench.
Williams is a thrilling, athletic player who sells tickets and fills highlight reels. More than that, he's a one-man fast-break offense—something the Knicks need more of. He's not quite 25 and finally showing he can be improved with solid player development. Assuming he opts out, the Knicks must try to hold on to him.
Even more important is Lance Thomas, who is arguably the linchpin that the Knicks' second unit revolved around. Essential on both ends of the court, Thomas also helped drive the starters to better productivity.
The Knicks' calamitous losing skid this winter started shortly after Thomas' first injury. Their win percentage was a middling 44.2 percent with him, but a dismal 30.4 percent without.
They need Thomas back.
As for Langston Galloway, he regressed under Rambis, but was a great asset in the beginning of the season. Have a look at the team's best-performing lineups: Gallo may be a bench player, but his name appears in almost every one.
He simply made his teammates better, even when his own shot wasn't falling. Plus, he has a season-and-a-half of triangle experience. For the right price, Galloway is worth keeping on hand.
That leaves Sasha Vujacic.
What cosmic trickery has guided me to this insane moment where I make the ludicrous suggestion to re-sign Vujacic? I don't know if it's Mercury in retrograde or if it's because I've taken too many blows to the head, but I do know that Vujacic's boundless energy and perfectly timed three-pointers in March and April were worth the $1.35 million he was paid.
My friend Justin swears that he could "school" Vujacic, but I'm not so sure. For the right (low) price, a spot on the pine should be reserved for the Slovenian...or at least for Justin.
All stats are from NBA.com/Stats. Follow Sara Peters on Twitter @3FromThe7.
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