The NY Knicks are coming into the offseason ready t spend on free agents and with a number of big names like Goran Dragic, Rajon Rondo, Marc Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge on the market, the team is expected to go after them, but reports say Phil Jackson will focus more on trying to sway players like Reggie Jackson, Greg Monroe, Brandon Knight or Jimmy Butler to come to NYC with Carmelo Anthony.
The Knicks have been a mess all season, but that was by design and now they may get the number one pick and the chance to sign prime free agents. The team is expected to have over $30 million in salary cap space and that will enable them to add multiple players. According to Pro Basketball Talk, The Sporting News' Sean Deveney reports that the Knicks plan on targeting top free agents, but they likely will focus on the "younger" group of names over Gasol and Aldridge.
Deveney writes that while the team will try and woo Gasol, Aldridge and Rondo, the team likely will put more focus on a younger group so that they can have a sustained run of success. The team expects to have the number one or two pick in the draft, which would allow them to get a strong prospect like Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns, who is getting a ton of attention at this point in the season.
Deveney writes that the Knicks do not want to just add some high priced players for a one or two year run and that they would like to have some sustained success. This would be the first time in what feels like over a decade that the Knicks could do that and it depends on getting some quality free agents. Jackson will be a restricted free agent, but with the Pistons also having Brandon Jennings, he could look at leaving.
The dram of course would be to get Kevin Durant or Kevin Love in the future, but the Knicks have tried things like that before and they have not worked out. The team had the chance to try and woo LeBron and that did not work and this time around Jackson may be looking to get players he actually can sign, rather than wait and see if either Kevin will come to NY.
Knight is an intriguing option, as he was just traded and he is coming off of his rookie contract and could be in the range the Knicks want. The team is planning to go after Rondo and Dragic this offseason, but there is a chance they could miss out and that would open the door for them to chase Knight or Jackson. The team also could consider a Brandon Jennings trade this offseason.
The New York Post reported earlier the season that the Knicks likely would target Greg Monroe on the market, as they expect Gasol to satay in Memphis or sign with the Lakers. Jackson wants to add strong players on both ends of the floor and he has the chance to target some big names in free agency this offseason.
