The New York Knicks are riding a nice win streak, but that does not mean roster moves are not on the horizon for the team as Phil Jackson keeps the long-term future in mind. In search of luxury tax and salary cap relief, Jackson is searching for as many trades as possible in the upcoming future which means bringing on lesser known players to help out. That move appears to be working as Langston Galloway emerges as a diamond in the rough. His contract extension could mean more changes at the point guard spot for the Knicks.
After Iman Shumpert, JR Smith and Samuel Dalembert were traded and waived respectively, the Knicks were desperate for healthy bodies to put on the court. The team brought up Galloway from their D-league team in Westchester and let him work off two 10-day contracts before opting to sign him for the rest of the season. ESPNNewYork.com confirmed that Galloway was signed through the 2015-2016 season and contains some guaranteed money in it which means Derek Fisher and Jackson like what they see from the young point guard.
Galloway began to emerge the second the team brought him up. He is averaging 12 points per game through eight games played while shooting 43 percent from the field. He helped break the Knicks out of their 16-game losing streak while leading the team alongside Carmelo Anthony.
Galloway's contract could also mean that more changes are on the way for the Knicks. Jackson still has his eyes set on several trade deals so getting potential with Galloway frees him up to be more aggressive prior to the deadline. According to ESPN's Marc Stein, both Jose Calderon and Pablo Prigioni are getting interest from teams who have suffered injuries at the point guard spot. The Detroit Pistons have lost Brandon Jennings for the remainder of the year. The Charlotte Hornets have lost Kemba Walker for at least the rest of the regular season. Both teams are on the bubble of the playoffs and could be looking to get a bigger name to help propel them to the postseason.
The Knicks have two other players they must consider re-signing for the year. Lou Amundson has his second 10-day contract expiring Thursday. Lance Thomas sees his second 10-day contract end Friday. Both players have made an impact in their short time on the court and if the Knicks feel like trades for players like Amar'e Stoudemire or Andrea Bargnani are in the works, they will get re-signed. However, New York will have to sign them for the rest of the season.