The NY Knicks have been active this summer while making moves on their roster and later on the team may look at trade deals involving Iman Shumpert, Amar'e Stoudemire, Andrea Bargnani or JR Smith as the season wears on, as the team is planning on targeting names like Greg Monroe, LaMarcus Aldridge and Marc Gasol in free agency in 2014.
According to ESPN.com and the NY Post, the Knicks are looking at Gasol as a main target for 2015, as they feel he could be a great addition alongside Carmelo Anthony as Phil Jackson tries to build a championship team. Jackson signed Anthony to a five year deal and he is also on a five year deal and that gives him time to add more to the roster for Melo. ESPN.com also reports that the team has looked into trades with Iman Shumpert, JR Smith and Pablo Prigioni, as the Knicks want to break up the jam at their guard position heading into the season.
Earlier in the offseason Pro Basketball Talk reported that the Knicks offered Shumpert, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tim Hardaway for Kevin Love to the Timberwolves. Jackson did it as mainly a formality and he knew they would reject it, but it shows that Jackson is willing to make some moves to build the team. Other reports have the Knicks keeping Hardaway off limits in any deal and that was the only reported offer where he was mentioned in the package.
The Knicks already pulled off a big trade with Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton and that gave the team some nice options with Shane Larkin and Jose Calderon and now they have more moves they can make. ESPN.com reported that the team made a trade with the Sacramento Kings, moving forward Jeremy Tyler and guard Wayne Ellington for Quincy Acy and Travis Outlaw. Steve Mills said the move made the team more versatile and also gives them more options off the bench.
Carmelo Anthony now has Outlaw and Cleanthony Early as potential backups and Outlaw comes in after averaging 5.4 points and 2.7 rebounds last season with the Kings. The Knicks needed more at that position and now they also have Samuel Dalembert from the Chandler trade, they felt that moving Tyler made sense. The team also signed Jason Smith this offseason and that gives the team more depth in the middle and under the basket.
Last season the Knicks won just 37 games and missed the playoffs after getting off to a 3-13 start and now they have the chance to put that behind them. The team needs to get off to a better start and Melo knows that and that is one reason why the team should be better off at the beginning this year.
The team missed the playoffs last season, but with their additions and moves, the Knicks should be right in the mix in the eastern conference. Carmelo acknowledged that the team may not win a championship this year, but the team should be in the playoffs and if Jackson has time to build and add free agents, a title could be coming soon.
