The New York Knicks still have roster spots to fill and need size on the depth chart. After missing out on big men like LaMarcus Aldridge. Greg Monroe and DeAndre Jordan, New York signed Robin Lopez to a free agent contract as the only true center on the roster. That might not be enough come the start of the season if the Knicks are going to improve off last year. With free agency in full swing, the Knicks have options in front of them.
The best player potentially available for New York could be Chris Andersen. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Miami Heat are shopping Andersen, Mario Chalmers and Shabazz Napier with the hopes of getting rid of their contracts and freeing up some luxury tax issues. Right now the market is slim for point guards like Chalmers and Napier, but interest could grow for Andersen.
According to Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun Sentinel, Andersen is the most likely trade deal the Heat will be able to find. The issue for the center is his $5 million cap hit that is turning teams away from being interested in his skill set. Andersen offers versatility off the bench as he can play both a power forward and center which could be ideal for any team, especially with the Knicks. Getting Andersen on the team and having him as a backup to Lopez and potentially someone like Kristaps Porzingis could be a quality move for New York for the upcoming season. The Heat simply want to dump his contract and likely would not demand much in return.
There are a few free agents left on the market to help with the size depth for the Knicks. The best available is Carlos Boozer who remains unsigned and garnering little interest at the moment. Boozer is coming off a forgettable year with the Los Angeles Lakers, but is still healthy and can play when in the right situation. The same can be said for JaVale McGee. The young center has dealt with injury issues, but he offers a lot of upside if he is fully healthy.
The Knicks are hoping a defensive tandem of Porzingis, Derrick Williams and Lopez will be enough for the year. However, the Knicks cannot afford another down season like what they had last year if they want to attract big-named players in 2016.
