The New York Knicks recent success took a step back when the team fell to the Indiana Pacers on the road, but the team is benefitting from motivated, no-name players who could force veterans off the roster. The Knicks appeared to be on a role, winning three of their last four games, much thanks to three players working off 10-day contracts. Now the Knicks have opted to extend all three for the remainder of the season which opens New York up to multiple trades at the deadline.
The Knicks brought up Lance Thomas, Langston Galloway and Lou Amundson from the D-League with hopes that 10-day contracts would motivate them and add a spark to the Knicks. That plan worked and worked well. All three players have been keys to the Knicks recent run of success. Galloway is currently averaging 11.9 points per game in 10 games played and six starts. Thomas has 10.6 points per game while Amundson is adding 6.4 per game along with 6.0 rebounds and 1.86 blocks. Now all three players will be back for the rest of the season.
According to ESPNNewYork.com, both Thomas and Amundson have had their contracts extended through the season which follows the contract given to Galloway. Thomas And Amundson had deals that expired on Friday and NBA sources report that they will be back on the roster as head coach Derek Fisher notes they are important reasons to why the Knicks broke their 16-game losing streak. This news comes with the contract Galloway signed mid-week that lasts through next year as well.
"Those three guys, I think we'll all just continue to say how impactful they've been," Fisher said, via ESPNNewYork.com. "I think you guys are seeing it on the court, I think our locker room is feeling it and I think our fans are feeling it. They're bringing a good brand of basketball to our team."
The addition of the three players likely means trades are on the horizon for the Knicks. Phil Jackson has been aggressively shopping both Pablo Prigioni and Jose Calderon. The Detroit Pistons are interested in Prigioni while teams like the Charlotte Bobcats could target Calderon. Galloway's success opens the door for that. The Knicks would love to get rid of Calderon's contract who is owed $15 million over the next two seasons in order to get a bigger name in free agency.
The success of Thomas and Amundson means if the Knicks want to buyout the contracts of either Andre Bargnani or Amar'e Stoudemire, they can. According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Knicks will likely pull that option if they cannot trade either player. Both Stoudemire and Bargnani are in the final years of their respective contracts and the trade market has been incredibly slim. Buying out the contracts is the best option and now the Knicks have players to replace them.