Knicks Rumors: Latest Buzz on Fred Van Vleet, Coaching Search, More

The New York Knicks are under pressure to make an offseason splash after failing to land one of the big names available last summer.

Although the free-agent market is slimmer than it was in the summer of 2019, the Eastern Conference side could still land a significant upgrade in the form of Fred VanVleet. The Toronto Raptors guard is reportedly generating interest from the Knicks, who first need to hire a new head coach.

Tom Thibodeau is among the high-profile names in the mix for the job, and if the hire works, the Knicks may start climbing the standings.

Latest Knicks Rumors

Fred VanVleet

The Athletic's John Hollinger reported that he "heard his name connected to the Knicks" in regard to VanVleet.

If he chooses to leave Toronto as an unrestricted free agent, the 26-year-old would be the top point guard on the market.

That would place the Knicks in a similar situation to 2019 as a possible contender for a top free agent but possibly not the favorite. New York does not have much to offer in terms of a supporting cast for VanVleet, but it could add a marquee NBA draft prospect to the young core headlined by RJ Barrett.

If the Knicks attracted VanVleet, their draft focus would likely shift away from the crop of point guards led by LaMelo Ball and Cole Anthony. In that situation, the Knicks might land Onyeka Okongwu, Isaac Okoro or Obi Toppin to provide more scoring from across the lineup.

One of the main factors to consider in potential negotiations is how long of a deal VanVleet is willing to sign. He inked a two-year contract with Toronto in 2018 and admitted in April he may be more willing to take a short-term deal if the free-agent market is significantly affected financially, per TSN's Josh Lewenberg.

Regardless of his possible contract length, the Knicks may have a hard time luring VanVleet to Madison Square Garden if other more intriguing options arise. VanVleet is in the middle of a career-best season with 17.6 points per game, and if a team in better position to qualify for the playoffs emerges in the race for his signature, the Knicks could be shut out again.

Coaching Search Update

Stadium's Shams Charania reported the Knicks' coaching search is "11 coaches deep," with Thibodeau listed as the favorite.

"Tom Thibodeau, I'm told, is still the favorite for the head-coaching job, but they are doing their due diligence on a guy like Jason Kidd," Charania said. "Mike Brown is a part of that list. Mike Woodson. This is an example of Leon Rose, the new president in New York, doing his due diligence and bringing in as many people as he can."

The 62-year-old Thibodeau achieved some success with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, but he failed to make a significant mark in the playoffs. That could be concerning for the Knicks, but they are still a few steps removed from even contending to a win a postseason series.

If the Knicks value experience, Thibodeau could be the best candidate given his ability to take the Bulls and T-Wolves to the postseason. But were the Knicks to prefer a younger head coach, Kidd may be the top candidate since he is 47, has some head-coaching experience and has spent this season as an assistant for the Los Angeles Lakers.

If they value championship experience over everything, Mike Brown could be the front-runner, as he owns a few titles as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors and took the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals.

No matter which coach is chosen, he faces a tough task attracting top-tier free agents and molding the roster of a non-playoff team into a competitor.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference.