NBA Rumors: James Posey Would Rejuvenate Career with New York Knicks

James Posey is officially a free agent after the Indiana Pacers used their amnesty clause on the forward and he cleared waivers. One team with interest is the New York Knicks, according to Ian Begley of ESPN. New York would be a perfect landing spot for the veteran.

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A source close to James Posey said the Knicks have been in contact with the forward as recently as Monday. The source said Posey has been in talks with a number of teams and, as of Monday night, no deal had been struck.

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Posey has won two championships since being drafted in the first round in 1999. He's never been an elite scorer, but he is exactly the type of player every team likes to have on its bench during an extended playoff run.

He averaged just five points and three rebounds while playing a career-low 17 minutes for the Pacers last season. Even though Posey has lost a step, maybe even two, since his prime years, that doesn't mean his contributions are over.

The Xavier product and Ohio native would thrive in a situation like what the Knicks would be offering. He wouldn't be relied upon to do anything more than be a spot-up shooter while playing solid defense.

Since Baron Davis and his bad back decided to accept the veteran's minimum, the Knicks can still offer their $2.5 million exception to Posey. That, paired with a chance to make a deep playoff run, should be more than enough to convince him to sign on.

In a shortened season like the one NBA teams are about to endure, depth will be vital. Head coaches will need to plan ahead to get their star players a couple nights off throughout the year, especially when teams are forced to play three games in as many nights.

That's why Posey, whose stats won't jump off the page at you, is still a valuable resource worth chasing down. And don't be surprised if his overall value to the Knicks would end up outweighing that of Davis, who will struggle with the condensed schedule once healthy.

Not to mention Posey will be motivated to prove he can still be a meaningful piece of a contending team. That alone will extend his career a couple extra years.

All told, it seems like a match made in basketball heaven.