New York Knicks: Top Free-Agent Centers Who Could Join Carmelo and Amar'e
The Carmelo Anthony drama unfolded over a period of months, but the wait was worth it for the New York Knicks.
While the team from the Big Apple gave up a lot of young talent to land the Anthony, they got just what they wanted: another superstar to join Amar'e Stoudemire.
The deal that landed Anthony also included Chauncey Billups, but he is likely just a short-term investment.
With that being said, the Knickerbockers still sorely lack the presence of a true center. If they plan on competing with the likes of Dwight Howard in the East, they will need more than just Ronny Turiaf and Shelden Williams. They don't necessarily need a star up front, but an improvement is imminent.
Whom exactly will the Knicks pursue? And who will fit in nicely alongside Stoudemire and Anthony in Mike D'Antoni's fast-tempo offense?
Let's take a look...
Kendrick Perkins
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Everything seemed to be going rather swimmingly for Kendrick Perkins in Boston.
Then, the trade deadline took him by surprise and shipped him out to Oklahoma City.
While many people have noted that the Thunder are sorely lacking a center, just like the Knicks, it is more than likely that Perkins will be unable to adjust to life in the West. If he wants a home back on the East Coast, New York is a possible suitor.
Perkins would provide the Knicks with a tough-minded center who focuses mainly on defense.
Offensively, he allows the ball to come to him, and plays generally aren't drawn up for him. He scores off offensive rebounds, and this would be great playing alongside Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, two stars who love to shoot.
Kendrick Perkins could come back to haunt the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division if the Knicks are able to sign him this summer.
Tyson Chandler
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Tyson Chandler has found a lovely home in Dallas playing for Mark Cuban's Mavericks. Come free agency, though, will Cuban be willing to drop the same amount of cash on him as the New York Knicks will?
Prying Chandler out of Dallas could be a tough task, but if the Knicks are willing to offer him a contract that the Mavericks simply can't match, it would be reasonable to imagine that he would make the move to New York.
Considering that the Knicks signed Jerome James to a five-year, $30 million deal just a few years back, they will almost certainly give Chandler a very lucrative offer.
And maybe, just maybe, he'll be able to play in more than 90 games in a Knicks uniform, unlike said Jerome James.
Nene
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With all of the recent turbulence in Denver, perhaps veteran center Nene will leave the Nuggets for a team with a better chance of winning in the near future.
The Knicks could be on Nene's radar, and the opposite will definitely be true. Nene is having a career year, averaging 15 points per game, along with over seven rebounds per game.
Even more impressive, Nene is shooting 63 percent from the field. The Knicks would not pass up the chance to land such a dominant center, and he could be their main target this summer.
Nene has experience playing with Carmelo Anthony, and probably wouldn't mind playing alongside Amar'e Stoudemire. Defenses would focus less on him, allowing his shooting numbers to increase even more.
If Nene joins the New York Knicks, they may immediately become the favorite to win the Atlantic Division in the 2011-12 season.
Marc Gasol
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Signing Marc Gasol theoretically poses a problem: He is a restricted free agent.
The problem, however, is only in theory, because the Knicks will likely be willing to offer the younger Gasol brother a contract that the Memphis Grizzlies will be unable to match.
If Gasol has followed his brother's career at all, he has probably noticed that moving to a big-market team with a superstar led to winning.
Will the younger brother be willing to miss out on a chance to play in New York alongside two superstars?
The Grizzlies can keep Gasol if they can match the contract potentially offered by the New York Knicks, but it is unlikely that they will overpay him.
The same cannot be said for the Knicks, who need a solid center, even if it means breaking the bank for him.
Joel Przybilla
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Is it just me, or does it seem like Joel Przybilla is a free agent every single summer?
Anyways, after just being traded to the Charlotte Bobcats, the oft-injured Przybilla will probably be looking for a new home this summer.
New York could be that new home, although the Knicks actually might shy away due to his health issues.
Przybilla has only completed an 82-game regular season once in his entire career, and has been injured frequently in recent times.
Even disregarding injuries, he is a bit overrated, perhaps because of his 7'1" frame. This season, he has only managed to score 1.8 points per game.
With that being said, beggars can't be choosers, and Przybilla would be an improvement over any center that the Knicks currently have on their roster.
That, though, might only be due to the fact that the Knicks don't have any centers on their roster.
Samuel Dalembert
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Samuel Dalembert has seen his minutes decrease in Sacramento. As a matter of fact, his minutes per game this season are the lowest since his rookie year.
The Kings don't seem to be winning any time soon, and Dalembert is about to be on the wrong side of 30. He will want to move to a winning team, and New York could be just the fit.
Dalembert is capable of averaging a double-double, and at 6'11", he could help defend the likes of Dwight Howard and the other elite big men in the NBA.
He is a fierce defender and competitor, and the Knicks will pursue him in free agency.
If you listened to Google suggestions, you might think that Dalembert is already a member of the Knicks (go ahead, try it).
This summer, that could become more than just a suggestion.
Yao Ming
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Like Joel Przybilla, Yao Ming has battled through an injury-plagued career.
Yao, however, could easily have played in his last game as a professional basketball player.
The stress fracture that Yao developed in his left ankle, which stemmed from an earlier injury, could keep him from touching the floor in a uniform ever again.
But if he is able to get healthy, it would be nice to see him in New York blue and orange.
Yao could probably be signed by the Knicks at a relatively low price, given his injury situation, and they would be able to sign another center on this list as well.
Other teams could be scared off by the injury history, but if the Knicks are willing to take a gamble, Yao could suit up for New York in 2011.
Tim Duncan
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Tim Duncan is the type of player who was born to play for only one team in his career. He is just like Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce and Dirk Nowitzki in that regard.
If the Spurs, however, shy away from resigning the legend in the offseason, New York is a possible destination.
Duncan has an early termination option, and if he were to be guaranteed more money from the Knicks, he might leave San Antonio.
The Knicks would be able to get two serviceable years out of Duncan, who would infuse knowledge, experience and a winning mentality into the Knicks organization.
If Duncan is actually signed by the Knicks, he will be able to mentor younger centers, and perhaps shape them into half the player that he was in his prime.
This scenario is highly unlikely, but Duncan could end up finishing his career in the Big Apple.
