While the 2014 NBA season is not officially underway yet, the New York Knicks are quietly keeping their eye on 2015 and the major free agency class that is expected to be available. That could mean the Knicks make trades at the mid-season deadline or wait until several players come off the salary cap before making moves. According to several reports, the team is already making their short list of favorites they intend to chase.
One big hole for the Knicks in the coming season will be at the power forward position. New York failed to trade either Amar'e Stoudemire or Andrea Bargnani this offseason. Phil Jackson attempted multiple deals but continued to come up short. If either player looks good come mid-season deals, either Stoudemire or Bargnani could be sent packing, but right now all signs point to both players remaining on the roster until their contracts expire. At that time, the Knicks will have a large chuck of salary cap space they can fill with a more marquee player and Jackson has several in mind.
According to Alex Kennedy of BasketballInsiders.com, the Knicks will chase Marc Gasol, Greg Monroe and David West in the upcoming free agency run. Gasol has been on the team's radar for some time now. The center has expressed his desire to remain with the Memphis Grizzlies for the long-term, but New York could come in with a strong contract offer to pull him away. Kennedy writes that Gasol is the perfect fit for the triangle offense alongside Carmelo Anthony not to mention his brother, Marc, will give Jackson a glowing letter of recommendation.
The Knicks have also been linked to Greg Monroe for a majority of the offseason. The team could not make an offer on the restricted free agent considering Stoudemire and Bargnani were taking up all of the salary cap space. Monroe opted to sign a one-year qualifying deal with the Detroit Pistons with every intention of leaving come next summer. Barring any late trades, Monroe could be an easy get for the Knicks.
The darkhorse could be David West. The Indiana Pacers forward has a player option for 2015 that he may or may not opt into. Instead of looking for big names to make Anthony happy, the Knicks will aim to find players that can fit into the triangle offense the team is attempting to learn. West is an ideal candidate considering he is a guaranteed 10-12 points guy who has no problem owning the boards. If the Pacers struggle this season after the losses of Paul George and Lance Stephenson, West might look to hit the market and the Knicks could be the frontrunners.
