Knicks Rumors: Latest on Myles Turner Trade Buzz, Carmelo Anthony & Derrick Rose

Zach Buckley@@ZachBuckleyNBANational NBA Featured ColumnistAugust 2, 2021

Knicks Rumors: Latest on Myles Turner Trade Buzz, Carmelo Anthony & Derrick Rose

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    Steve Dykes/Associated Press

    The New York Knicks are noisy most offseasons.

    Even during their darkest days, they're at least worth mentioning from a leverage standpoint given their prominent position in the NBA's top market.

    But summers like this one are particularly spellbinding in the Big Apple. The Knicks are buzzing well above their normal level given their combination of $50 million-plus in cap space and the .569 winning percentage that helped them snap a seven-year playoff drought last season.

    This could be a critical summer for the franchise. Let's break down the latest buzz ahead of Monday's opening of the free agent market.

Knicks Pursuing Myles Turner Trade

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    Sarah Stier/Getty Images

    The Knicks could target a new frontcourt partner for Julius Randle this summer.

    They're reportedly "trying hard" to pry Myles Turner away from the Indiana Pacers, per J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star. The scribe added the Pacers "don't seem in a hurry" to dismantle the roster, so maybe New York's attempts will go nowhere.

    But at the very least they're interesting for what they reveal about the Knicks' intentions on the interior. Nerlens Noel is entering free agency. Mitchell Robinson will get there next summer. If New York was aiming to pay either one big bucks on a lengthy deal, it would probably have little use for Turner.

    This also indicates a desire to make the 5 spot more versatile. Turner might be best known for his defense—for good reason; he's an elite anchor—but his willingness to spread the floor makes him helpful on offense, too. The Knicks need to widen lanes for Randle and RJ Barrett to attack, and Turner is a good enough shooter (1.2 triples per game at a 35.5 percent clip the past four seasons) to pull defenders out of the paint.

Carmelo Anthony Reunion Possible

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    Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images

    The Knicks will be on the hunt for offensive oomph this offseason, as they ranked 22nd in efficiency during the regular season and 15th (out of 16 teams) in the playoffs. They might ask a familiar face to supply.

    Carmelo Anthony, who ranks seventh on the franchise's all-time scoring leaderboard, is a reported target of the Knicks, per ESPN's Jordan Schultz. As the scribe noted, Anthony is a former client of Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose.

    The interest in Anthony is nothing new. Last August, Marc Berman of the New York Post reported Rose had Anthony on the radar "ever since he took over the presidency in early March."

    Anthony didn't bite back then, but maybe the Knicks' recent success strengthens their recruiting pitch. He should have options—he just averaged nearly 20 points per 36 minutes on 42.1/40.9/89.0 shooting—but returning to the Empire State and winning with the Knicks would be one heck of a story.

Knicks Mulling Long-Term Offer to Derrick Rose

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    Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images

    While most of New York's offensive options were crashing and burning in the playoffs, Derrick Rose was thriving. He incredibly surfaced as Mr. Reliable, a 32-year-old with a lengthy injury history still willing his way to a team-high 19.4 points per game on 47.6/47.1/100 shooting.

    It was that kind of performance that suggested Rose has a lot left in the bag. And that has given the Knicks' decision-makers plenty to talk about with the former MVP entering free agency.

    "Internal discussions have centered on whether to offer a long-term deal to Rose," Berman reported.

    Keeping Rose in the fold might make a lot of sense, depending on what else the Knicks do this offseason. They could splurge on a marquee player at the position—Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry and Lonzo Ball chief among them—but they also might see value in Rose returning for scoring, distributing and mentoring young guards Immanuel Quickley and Miles McBride.

    Having said that, long-term might be too optimistic given Rose's age and healthy history. There should be a middle ground in which he feels respected and they aren't overly exposed to risk.

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