With two gaping holes at shooting guard and center, the Knicks need to spend wisely in this summer’s free agency pool.
In trading for Derrick Rose, New York found a quick fix to its point guard problems.Now, the New York Knicks free agency search must refocus on filling out a roster devoid of a starting shooting guard, center and bench depth/shooters.
New York has more than $30 million in cap space to sign free agents this summer. The Knicks roster currently stands at Rose, Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle O’Quinn and Justin Holiday.
The team has qualifying offers remaining on restricted free agents Langston Galloway and Cleanthony Early.
Both Arron Afflalo and Derrick Williams declined their player options and became free agents on Tuesday.
Knicks president Phil Jackson informed Rose he will pursue Kevin Durant in free agency. Durant will likely give New York some thought, but the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder remain the front-runners to sign him.
The Knicks need at least 13 players on the roster at the beginning of the regular season. Here are some its options via free agency this summer.
Centers: Dwight Howard, Joakim Noah,Pau Gasol, Hassan Whiteside, Al Jefferson, Bismack Biyombo, Roy Hibbert
The Knicks didn’t get Rose for free; they had to part ways with their consistent big man, Robin Lopez. Unless Phil Jackson and Jeff Hornacek plan to move Porzingis to the center full-time, New York will need to add a bonafide rim protector to the paint.
C Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets
- 30 years old
- Averaged 13.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks in 2015-16
- Three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year
ESPN.com’s Ian Begley reports New York is one of several destinations free agent center Dwight Howard would consider. Howard, however, declined a $23.2 million player option in Houston.
It is unclear if Knicks president Phil Jackson is interested in bringing on the former three-time Defensive Player of the Year. Howard averaged 13.7 points on only 8.5 field goal attempts per game, both career-lows since his rookie season.
If there is interest, Howard’s asking price may be too high.
C Joakim Noah, Houston Rockets
- 31 years old
- Averaged 4.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and one block in 2015-16
- 2014 NBA Defensive Player of the Year
- Played only 29 games before dislocating shoulder
Begley also reported New York has discussed reuniting Rose with Joakim Noah, a New York native who has a relationship with Anthony. Noah earned $13.4 million in salary last season in Chicago.
The former Defensive Player of the Year shot at a .383 clip from the field last season, the worst among all centers to play more than 13 minutes per game, per Basketball-Reference. Because of his New York City roots and relationship with Rose, Noah may be the most likely option at center.
Noah turns 32 in February. He will likely command a similar salary and stability with his next contract.
PF/C Pau Gasol, Chicago Bulls
- 35 years old
- Averaged 16.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks in 2015-16
- Won two championships under Phil Jackson’s Los Angeles Lakers (2008-09, 2009-10)
Pau Gasol is a Jackson favorite available on the market this summer.
Gasol, 35, had a statistically better season than both Howard and Noah in Chicago last year. Opponents shot 46.3 percent when attacking Pau Gasol at the rim, a lower percentage than both Noah (.524) and Howard (.497).
The belief is the 2015 All-NBA Second Team selection will look to sign with a contender. However, the allure of reuniting with Jackson and grooming a young European talent in Porzingis will force Gasol to give New York a serious look.
Other free agent big men include Hassan Whiteside, Bismack Biyombo, Al Jefferson and Roy Hibbert. Miami will likely offer Whiteside a max contract to retain his services, and after an impressive playoff performance.
Biyombo fits the profile of the athletic, rim-protecting centers Hornacek liked in Phoenix (see Tyson Chandler, Miles Plumlee), but he is due a major pay raise after an impressive playoff performance in Toronto.
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
- 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.
G/F Courtney Lee, Charlotte Hornets
- 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.
G/F Evan Turner, Boston Celtics
- 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.
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.
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.
Bench Depth/Shooters: Derrick Williams, Lance Thomas, Jamal Crawford, Mario Chalmers, Gerald Green, Mirza Teletovic, Jared Dudley
The Knicks acquired PG Justin Holiday as part of the Derrick Rose deal. His role going forward is unknown, so New York needs to add a backup point guard to the rotation.
PG Mario Chalmers, Memphis Grizzlies
- 30 years old
- 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
- Averaged 10.8 points, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals in 2015-16
- Waived by Memphis after torn Achilles
The Knicks could re-sign Langston Galloway, who is a restricted free agent this summer. Jackson could also make a run at Mario Chalmers, a quality back-up player with championship pedigree.
Chalmers won two championships alongside LeBron James in Miami, and put his full offensive attack on display before his Achilles injury.
He could provide solid backup for Rose, but having two point guards with major leg injuries is a risk.
Other free agent back-up point guards include Randy Foye, D.J. Augustin, Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson.
F Derrick Williams, New York Knicks
- 25 years old
- 6-foot-8, 240 pounds
- Averaged 9.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 2015-16
Both Derrick Williams and the Knicks front office are reportedly interested in a reunion. Williams opted out ($4.9 million) to haul in a bigger contract. A source told ESNY he worked out with Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek, Carmelo Anthony and other teammates last week.
The versatile combo forward could garner a contract worth double his Knicks salary.
New York could exceed its cap using the Non-Bird Exception to sign Williams to a four-year deal worth a tick over $25 million. His contract would start at $5.88 million with 4.5 percent annual raises (an average of $6.3 million per year).
That contract, though, would be underpaying, and to sig
Gerald Green Wing, Miami Heat
- 31 years old on January 26
- 6-foot-7, 205 pounds
- Averaged 8.9 points in 2015-16
- Career .361 three-point shooter
Gerald Green is coming off of a down year in Miami, but he thrived under Hornacek in Phoenix back in 2013-14. Green averaged 15.8 points on a .400 three-point shooting clip.
He knows the offense Hornacek will impolement and would complement the team as an athletic scorer off the bench.
Jamal Crawford Guard, Los Angeles Clippers
- 36 years old
- 6-foot-5, 195 pounds
- Averaged 14.2 points and 2.3 assists in 2015-16
- Three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2009-10, 2013-14, 2015-16)
New York could also use added firepower off the bench. Jamal Crawford has traveled the NBA as a hired gun for multiple franchises.
Crawford, a volume scorer, is a free agent this summer and played for the Knicks for more than four seasons.
Jeff Hornacek has often times mentioned shooters when addressing the New York’s needs this summer. Mirza Teletovic is a stretch four Hornacek is familiar with, but the shooter begun to thrive shortly after Phoenix changed head coaches.
Another available combo forward to stretch the defense is Jared Dudley, who spent a good chunk of his minutes in Washington at the power forward.
Lance Thomas played himself into a massive pay raise as a three-and-D wing for the Knicks last season. It will be near impossible for New York to retain both him and Williams and fill the roster with capable players at each position.