The New York Knicks are expecting several point guards to hit the market this free agency run despite the number of trades that went down during the mid-season deadline. The Knicks need an elite point guard to pair alongside Carmelo Anthony. Phil Jackson is well-aware that he did not put the right players in place this season and intends to step it up in the offseason when the Knicks have more money to spend. So who is the best option?
The New York Post is reporting that Rajon Rondo is a top priority for New York. Jackson has been targeting Rondo for a year now and the trade to the Dallas Mavericks did nothing to pull his interest away. However, every team in the league will be looking at Rondo with a max contract, so does New York go to someone more affordable instead?
According to Detroit Pistons beat writer Vincent Ellis, the team is preparing to let Reggie Jackson walk away at the end of the season after trading for him in the middle of the year. Jackson is preparing to be a free agent with several teams interested. Detroit will try and push a deal quickly, but will not enter a negotiating war with the point guard. The Pistons also have Brandon Jennings on the roster who went down with an Achilles injury. He has been the subject of trade talk. Detroit might have to make a decision as to who stays and who goes between the two players.
Jose Calderon is good as gone for the Knicks as he continues to nurse injuries that might keep him out for the entire year. Calderon has never gotten the full commitment from Jackson as the team president attempted to trade him on several occasions. He is likely one of the reasons Jackson is noting that his first year with the Knicks has not been great.
"We know what the first-round pick is going to mean for us, but we also know we're going to build our team with free agents," Jackson said, via ESPN.com. "A hundred and ninety players or so are going to be free agents. Not half the league, but like a third of the league is going to be free agents. So that's where our priority stands."
Goran Dragic, Marc Gasol, Greg Monroe and LaMarcus Aldridge are all free agent priorities for the Knicks along with every other team. New York will have to be aggressive and hope Anthony has the star power to get the big names to the city.
