Shooting Guards: Dwyane Wade, DeMar DeRozan, Kent Bazemore, Bradley Beal, Nicolas Batum, Jordan Clarkson, Courtney Lee, Evan Turner, Eric Gordon
With Afflalo and Sasha Vujacic entering free agency, New York does not have a shooting guard on its roster. The Knicks chances at landing an All-Star guard, however, look dim.
Dwyane Wade is likely to return to Miami in the $15-20 million ballpark. A Rose, Wade, Anthony and Porzingis Knicks roster, though, would catapult New York into the East’s upper echelon.
That scenario is unlikely.
As is landing DeMar DeRozan, who is a near-lock to return to Toronto.
Asked about free agency, DeRozan told Dan LeBatard, “Ask my guy Kyle Lowry, he already knows the answer.” Another rumored destination is the Los Angeles Lakers.
G/F Kent Bazemore, Atlanta Hawks
https://vine.co/v/ihWeJLjX1QD
- 27 years old on July 1
- 6-foot-5, 201 pounds
- Averaged 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists in 2015-16
- Has improved nearly each season
It will take some elbow grease to pry Kent Bazemore from Atlanta. The New Orleans Pelicans have emerged as a potential suitor after hiring former Hawks executive Danny Ferry. The belief is Bazemore will sign with one of those two franchises.
The belief is Bazemore will sign with one of those two franchises. The 26-year-old guard also got into a minor scuffle with Anthony and Porzingis back in January.
He will likely command a salary in the ballpark of $15 annually.
Danny Ferry was a big fan of Kent Bazemore when he signed him in Atlanta. With Bazemore on the FA market, expect Pelicans to go after him.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 8, 2016
G/F Courtney Lee, Charlotte Hornets
https://vine.co/v/iPbb5tqeKiu
- 31 years old on October 3
- 6-foot-5, 200 pounds
- Averaged 9.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals in 2015-16
- Shot 37.8 percent from three, 44.4 percent in playoffs
That leaves Courtney Lee as the most realistic unrestricted starting free agent guard the Knicks can add this summer.
Lee averaged 9.6 points per game on a .378 three-point shooting clip. He is a high-class, low ego player who does not need the ball to be effective.
Defensively, Lee is solid. Opponents shot only 41.8 percent from the field when held by the 30-year-old guard. Lee’s 1.1 steals per game ranked twelfth in the NBA, ahead of Wade, DeRozan and Batum.
And on catch-and-shoot opportunities, Lee made 40.5 percent of his three-pointers in the regular season. He will reportedly command a contract in the $11-14 million range.
Courtney Lee: "I think I can ride it out for another 7-8 years. You can play in the league a long time if you can put the ball in from [3]."
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 7, 2016
Courtney Lee could garner $11-14 million per year this summer, sources told @DavidBaumannORL. https://t.co/flnDqHQlRy
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 7, 2016
G/F Evan Turner, Boston Celtics
https://vine.co/v/iTq1bnEO2jU
- 28 years old on October 27
- 6-foot-7, 220 pounds
- Averaged 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, one steal in 2015-16
- Career .305 three-point shooter
The Knicks are also expected to make a run at Celtics swingman Evan Turner.
“The team that could be after him the hardest could be the New York Knicks,” Chris Mannix told CSNNE.com. “I’ve been told Phil Jackson is a big fan of Evan Turner.”
Turner earned $3.4 million last season but played himself into a massive pay raise. It is unclear if Jackson is ready to offer Boston’s forward the max.The lone knock on Turner’s game is his inability to shoot the three ball. His 24.1 percent three-point shooting ranked second-to-last among NBA guards to play at least 20 minutes per game.
League rumblings: The Knicks are rumored to be interested in soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Evan Turner. The interest may be mutual.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 7, 2016
ESPN.com reported restricted free agent guard Jordan Clarkson “has fans in the Knicks organization.” Clarkson averaged 15.5 points and four rebounds in his sophomore season and wants to stay with the Lakers.
Los Angeles can exceed its salary cap to re-sign Jordan Clarkson.
Clarkson on Walton: “I want to be here in L.A. — a place where I can call home — and leave a legacy. The hiring makes it even better.”
— Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) May 7, 2016
New York is reportedly interested in Hornets swingman Nicolas Batum, but the buzz around the NBA is he will re-sign in Charlotte at or near the max.
The oft-injured Eric Gordon is also a free agent this summer. Gordon averaged 15.2 points per game last summer, but has appeared in only 56 percent of his games over the past five seasons.
