The Knicks disappointed fans in New York by missing the playoffs last season. Here’s how they hope to boost their roster next year.
Tom Tebodeau led the New York Knicks to a surprising fourth place in the Eastern Conference two years ago. That made the 11th-place finish last season a huge disappointment for fans in New York. The pressure is on the organization’s senior leadership to return beyond the season after their 2022-23 campaign ends.
The good news is that New York’s roster isn’t without talent. Knicks officials have great confidence in RJ Barrett to become their future attacking star. There is also hope that Julius Randle can rediscover the scoring proficiency that made him such a special player two seasons ago.
There is a lot of heavy lifting to be done around the edges of the Knicks slate. Here’s what New York fans should be looking for to head into the frenetic period of free agency.
What will the Knicks slate look like in September?
The Knicks front office will focus more on high-quality transactions than a massive off-season digital overhaul. They believe they have the bones of a high-quality Eastern Conference playoff team.
It’s a safe bet that New York will be looking to bring in a free, agent-price guard to lead their attack. Center position is also a question mark due to Mitchell Robinson’s Free Agency. Other high-priced veterans may be moved to create roster flexibility, but much of the team’s core from last year will remain.
Knicks expected starting at 5
It is an open secret that a file Knicks leads free agent hunt for Galen Bronson. For now, it’s reasonable to place him as the park’s new starting point guard ahead of veteran Derek Rose.
Evan Fournier may be moved to a semi-salary warehouse, but for now he has the advantage of being the team’s starter by surprise. RJ Barrett will join him on the wing as the team’s primary builder.
Julius Randle will be back as the man eats the bulk of the minutes at the forward power point but the identity of his teammate at the center is still up in the air. Robinson could be the man if he’s willing to come back with a reasonably priced deal but don’t rule out the possibility of Obi Tobin slipping down and taking the role in the Knicks’ younger, smarter lineup.
Who Should Target the Knicks in Free Agency?
It looks like Bronson will receive a four-year offer of $100 million which should be enough to keep him away from the Mavericks. His signature will eat up nearly all of the team’s salary cap space. Returning Robinson to a fair deal will end any chances for New York to use the extra roof space to get a free agent named Brunson.
Knicks potential trade objectives
If the Knicks somehow don’t go down with Bronson, expect the trade for Malcolm Brogdon to materialize away from the Pacers so it does quickly. Otherwise, things should be quiet on the trade front. They might find a way to bring in an interesting young flyer when ditching an expensive veteran, but that’s a tough line for New York to walk.
Knicks expected cover area
Assuming the Knicks, as expected, cede Gibson’s crown and thus dispose of his potential $5.2 million salary for next season, New York would have nearly $18 million in cap space. They made clear the rest of what they would need to sign Bronson by exchanging Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks with the Detroit Pistons.
The dumping of Fournier’s $18 million expiring contract may give New York more flexibility but that won’t happen without attaching some draft assets to the deal. It will also force the Knicks to find new players initially unless they are willing to try and push Cam Reddish into that spot.
NBA Draft results for the Knicks
New York was one of the Draft’s most active teams in the first round, but that doesn’t mean they added a lot of talent. Instead, Nicks chose to tackle this year’s draft for future picks. These transactions also allowed the team to keep the lid space open to sign Bronson. The franchise could have used a pool of young talent but they chose to delay adding several rookies for at least one more season.
Outgoing Free Knicks Agents
The headline for this group is definitely Robinson. He suffered injuries last season but his talent is undeniable. Taking off some of the weight he added to fighting the big eastern convention centers in this position might help him stay more grounded going forward. Expect Knicks to make a competitive bid instead of letting him leave for free.
Ryan Arcedecano’s contract has also expired, but it wouldn’t be a priority for the team’s front office to keep him. He can always return to the bare minimum of deals, but he will be nothing more than a roster filler for a team hoping to return to the top half of the Eastern Conference standings next season.
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