The NY Knicks are coming into the season with a new triangle offense for Carmelo Anthony and the team may look at making a move if the team struggles, as players like Iman Shumpert, Amar'e Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani have been mentioned as potential trade chips and this comes as Phil Jackson likely will chase Marc Gasol, Rajon Rondo and Greg Monroe in free agency next summer.
The Knicks are going to build the team around Anthony and this season they will be using the triangle as Derek Fisher comes in as head coach. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the Knicks could look at trades with Stoudemire and Shumpert his year, as Amar'e is in the final year of his deal and Shumpert is heading towards restricted free agency. Stoudemire is making a ton of money and a team like the Sixers could be a fit, while the Knicks have not yet spoken with Shumpert and his reps about a new deal.
Shumpert is a solid young player, but the Knicks want to keep their options open heading into the next two summers in free agency. The Knicks will have money to spend since Stoudemire will be off the books after this season and they want to make sure they have the arsenal to spend and woo players. Jackson has said that the team needs another star alongside Carmelo Anthony and this would be a good way to get it done. LaMarcus Aldridge is going to hit free agency and while he likely will stay in Portland, there is a chance that the Knicks could go after him too. Monroe and Rondo will be major targets, while the NY Post reports that Gasol will be the main option for the Knicks next summer.
The Knicks have already made some moves this summer to get better and they traded Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler for Jose Calderon and Samuel Dalembert, giving the team a major upgrade at the point guard position. Shumpert could be on his way to some trade rumors though, as Pro Basketball Talk and ESPN.com has reported that the Knicks and his reps so far have not been talking about a new contract extension. Shumpert has been one of the best young players for the Knicks, but they want to keep their options open.
Marc Stein from ESPN.com writes that the Knicks have not engaged Shumpert yet, as they want to keep the salary cap freed up over the next two seasons. Getting an extension done means those years will have that contract on the cap and with the deadline coming up at the end of October to get a deal done, the Knicks may let that pass. The team feels that they will have the chance to keep Shumpert even if he hits the market as an RFA, but there also is a good chance he comes up in trade rumors for other teams.
The Knicks won just 37 games last season and missed the playoffs and now they have a new head coach and a new offense to put in with Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks feel they can make a run in the east and now they are on a five year plan with Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher.
