NBA Free Agents 2011: Why the New York Knicks Must Upgrade the Sixth Man Slot

All of the New York Knicks' focus may be on the Chris Paul developments, but come December 9th, they officially need to focus on moves and improvements the team can make immediately.

Offering one-year deals in hopes of landing Paul next summer or earlier is fine, but New York cannot afford to stand pat going into the season. And while a center may be on their list of desires, finding a competent big man has to wait until the Paul and Dwight Howard sagas are resolved.

The same cannot be said for the Knicks' sixth man position. Currently, New York's sixth man could wind up either being Toney Douglas or Iman Shumpert, who are strong candidates, yet lack experience. Shumpert has never played in an NBA game, and Douglas remains a question mark in more ways than one.

New York needs a guy who can come off the bench and help spark their offense immediately. The team needs an experienced player who can help shoulder the scoring burden when Carmelo Anthony or Amar'e Stoudemire take a breather. Right now, they just don't have that.

Aside from being an offensive spark, the Knicks need their sixth man to strength their already depleted bench. New York has some players with the potential to make an impact, but is not overly confident with its bench.

And if you think this is a problem now, it will be an even bigger issue if the Knicks wind up decimating their roster once again in order to acquire Paul. New York's bench may become more important than ever to their success this season, because after any blockbuster deal, they will be the only supporting cast left.

Vince Carter, Jason Richardson and Grant Hill, among others, are solid candidates for such a task. Whether they wind up on the bench, or push Landry Fields to the sixth-man slot is almost irrelevant, because in either scenario, New York's bench is strengthened.

No matter what gaping hole the Knicks attempt to fill, it will prove difficult thanks to their lack of financial flexibility. That being said, the money they have to maneuver will go a longer way in strengthening their bench than it would toward a starting center.

You can follow Dan Favale on Twitter here @Dan_Favale.