Knicks Free Agency 2015

With the draft behind us, we are less than one week away from the start of the free agent meeting period (starts July 1st at 12:01). I'm sure someone will start a free agency thread for the rest of the league as the news starts to break, but I'm looking to talk Knicks free agency as far as realistic targets with whom we are being linked (i.e. let's move on past the idea Marc Gasol or LMA is coming here).

Here's the players with whom we are reportedly scheduled to meet (at least as per Internet news over the last few days):
- David West - report that the 34 year old PF coming to New York is already a 'done deal'. He opted out of 12 million in Indiana, so not sure his price with us, but whatever it is, doesn't make sense as a signing for a team set to be pretty poor next year
- Greg Monroe - seems to be all we talk about when it comes to free agency, but does he have a place on this roster after drafting Porzingis? Pay max money to create a frontline that will likely be Monroe-Melo-Porzingis by the end of the season and watch other teams pour in the points in the paint against us. Seems suspect.
- DeAndre Jordan - highly unlikely signing for us, but we are listed as a team with whom he would meet. In my opinion, Jordan would be the perfect guy to anchor an otherwise offensive minded frontline, but super longshot
- Tobias Harris - desperate teams like Boston lining up to give this guy max money. I hope we stay out of this mess.

Anybody else that anyone has seen could be a realistic target for us and/or anyone read any other recent news about free agents with whom we are being linked?
 
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tiger0330

Legend
David West sounding like it's a done deal. I don't know he'll be 35 in Aug and he's coming off his worst scoring year in a decade. He was making 12M last year and you would think he'd be looking for the same money and a 3 year deal.

Seems an odd player to sign when you just drafted Zingis. He would seem a better choice if the Knicks did the rumored Bledsoe or Sullinger deal on draft night instead of drafting Zingis.

If the first FA signing is DWest for 36-40M/3 year deal it'll be disappointing. Sign him and you can forget Monroe or DJ.
 
David West sounding like it's a done deal. I don't know he'll be 35 in Aug and he's coming off his worst scoring year in a decade. He was making 12M last year and you would think he'd be looking for the same money and a 3 year deal.

Seems an odd player to sign when you just drafted Zingis. He would seem a better choice if the Knicks did the rumored Bledsoe or Sullinger deal on draft night instead of drafting Zingis.

If the first FA signing is DWest for 36-40M/3 year deal it'll be disappointing. Sign him and you can forget Monroe or DJ.

I will be more than disappointed if we give West 3 years at more than 10 million per year. In fact, I will be livid regardless of how much we pay him unless it is close to the vet minimum or it is a complementary deal to a much bigger signing that I can't even guess at this point.

A veteran like West would be a nice addition to improve the leadership and character on our team, but you can't be locking up significant cap space on role players like West or Robin Lopez or Omer Asik when you don't project to be a playoff team next season, unless they are very short team deals.
 

tiger0330

Legend
I agree it'll be a bad signing for the money he was making in Indy but it seems odd for a guy his age to opt out of 12M unless he's sure he can get more in FA and the Knicks are specifically mentioned as his destination. I guess if it does happen it'll be shortly after FA commences so we'll soon know.
 

Broadway

All Star
Tobias is currently linked to Detroit and Celtics for a Max or near Max deal. Keep in mind Melo is a tweener and Phil already said he will play some 4 this yr. #Kporzee said for now he's a stretch 4 who needs to build his body up to play the 5. De'Andre Jordan played himself into $100mil nope not getting him. We're on his list along with Bucks. He's making sure he gets offered every penny from the Clippers. I don't think the CP3 rift rumors are truly legit, I think they are embellished to create drama for a max offer.

That leaves West and Monroe. You guys are right about West. If his opt out is official, you don't leave $12mil on the table unless there's a reason to. Bargain didn't leave his $12-13mil on it did he?

West will be 35 soon, coming to us with a multi-yr deal. He's a pure 4. Do you guys think we're winning with him here regardless of price? He will not move the needle one iota. I think he's coming here because he's been told the money is here.

I've already spoke my peace on Monroe several times over. Moose is a plodder and not good enough for what he'll be paid.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Marc Berman is suggesting these 3 FAs to fill the Knicks need at C PF and SG. Green and Lopez have been mentioned as guys we should acquire in KOL threads. I can't believe West would take a significant pay cut for a couple more years security but who knows.

A troika of Lopez ($9 million to start), West ($8 million) and Danny Green ($10 million) isn’t marquee stuff, but would empower Fisher’s soft, 17-win defensive squad.
 
Marc Berman is suggesting these 3 FAs to fill the Knicks need at C PF and SG. Green and Lopez have been mentioned as guys we should acquire in KOL threads. I can't believe West would take a significant pay cut for a couple more years security but who knows.

A troika of Lopez ($9 million to start), West ($8 million) and Danny Green ($10 million) isn’t marquee stuff, but would empower Fisher’s soft, 17-win defensive squad.

People would probably laugh at us spending all our salary cap on West, Green, and Robin Lopez, but it's funny, those 3 signings instantly turn us from a joke defensively into a plus defensive team. Melo will never be a good defensive player, but start Galloway or Grant with Melo, West, Green, and Robin Lopez, and we would have the ability to actually be tough to score against and our rebounding would probably be fine as well. Not saying we'd be a good team, but we'd be way less embarrassing. Only catch would be getting all 3 of those guys to sign contracts that give us financial flexibility in the not too distant future because that sure as heck is not a squad built for future championships.
 

mafra

Legend
People would probably laugh at us spending all our salary cap on West, Green, and Robin Lopez, but it's funny, those 3 signings instantly turn us from a joke defensively into a plus defensive team. Melo will never be a good defensive player, but start Galloway or Grant with Melo, West, Green, and Robin Lopez, and we would have the ability to actually be tough to score against and our rebounding would probably be fine as well. Not saying we'd be a good team, but we'd be way less embarrassing. Only catch would be getting all 3 of those guys to sign contracts that give us financial flexibility in the not too distant future because that sure as heck is not a squad built for future championships.


I think spending and spreading our money on 3-4 free agents is wiser than bringing in 1 max guy (unless we steal a Jordan, Gasol, Aldridge). But, let's face it, we're not getting those guys. DeAndre was out last night with Cuban & Parsons (he'll sign in DAL). Gasol will remain in MEM, Aldridge will sign with either LAK or SA.

This means NYK must target Kevin Love or Greg Monroe. Marquee, young, talented players just entering their prime years. Neither are the best fits next to 'Melo, defensively-speaking, but what both offer Anthony & the Knicks (they both represent & honor the philosophy to win-now, and build-4-future, b/c their are in their mid-20s).

Unfortunately, both Love & Monroe play the PF position... same as Pirzingis. But size always matters... We'll worry about this later, b/c now that we drafted for the future, we need to concentrate on the now.

Anyway, there's 2 ways to look at this:

1) Our plan and near-future depends on Monroe or Love. Everything hinges on their decision and talent. IF they come here, they must be worthy of the near max contracts (15 mil +) or we're in BIG trouble.

2) What this team desperately needs is two things: a defensive BIG, interior presence and a 3-&-D SG. Green or Carroll + Lopez or Asik?

I think guys like West, Thad Young, and B-Wright could be had in the 7-9 mil range. I think this West stuff is being leaked by us to sway Monroe... if he waits too long and tries for every penny, we'll shift focus and grab West + a another players... and spend that 13-15 mil more wisely.


For example, wouldn't getting 2 of these: Asik, Lopez, Wright, West... be better than just Love or Monroe?

ALSO, what happens with Calderon? If we find a taker, we either have an extra 8 mil to spend, or we bring in another vet in a swap?

Then, do we gamble on a Wesley Matthews?

If it were me, I bring in David West (b/c I like his leadership and toughness). I back that up with a B-Wright or Thad Young. I give West 3 years (7 mil per); try to convince Wright or Young to sign a 1-year deal so they can cash in next season, when the cap increase. This is probably a long shot, and Young-Wright will get more than the 5 mil I would offer. But I think this is safer than going all in on Monroe.

Then, we target R-Lopez or O-Asik.

Then, target Green, Carroll, Matthews; and back that up by aiming for a quality backup (Gerald Henderson or even bring back Schved).

NYK can go over cap to bring back Jason Smith and Alexi Schved. So they seem more likely options.

Again, the keys are: What we do with Calderon (and, if he stays, is he improved) and the Love/Monroe issue.


MY DREAM/IDEAL scenario:

Sign Monroe for a deal starting in the 10-15 mil range. Give him an opt-out, so he can really cash in next summer. Let's dream here and get him for 12. Then, with the remaining 13 mil... I do a S-&T with POR, sign R-Lopez to 8 mil (3-4 yrs) and send Calderon to POR to back up DL; I still have 13 mil to play with... I then sign Danny Green (8 mil for 3-4 yrs), Patrick Beverely (2 mil for 3 years). This gives me a few mil leftover. Maybe I get a R-Butler or A-Anderson... I re-sign Schved, Thomas, Smith.

Beverley/Grant/Galloway
Green/Anderson/Schved
Melo/Early
Monroe/Pirzingis
Lopez/Smith/Thomas

How's this for a 13-man active roster?
 

welcometonycity

Rotation player
I would take a hard look at Koufos, B Lopez, D Green, and Beverly. It would be nice to get 2 of the 4, would be a blessing to get 3 of them...
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Signing David West "veteran-leadership" to a 2 or 4 year contract would be the first move of wanting a winning Knicks season.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
The Knicks will have to sign several veteran FA to lead the Knicks to a winning season .. FA with leadership qualities
 

Kiyaman

Legend
3-5yrs ago quite possibly, doing so now is completely "the sail has come and passed" type of signing.

David West "down to bussiness attitude" in the lockerroom are what the Knicks need in every practice.
Recall "Rasheed/Kidd/Kurt Thomas" did not have to put in heavy minutes of playingtime their lockeroom presence gave the Knicks a 54 win season. The Cavs veterans "Mike Miller & Shawn Marion" down to bussiness attitude in the lockerroom/practice gave the Cavs roster the confidence to follow Lebron to the FINALS.
 
It's been mentioned a couple times already, but under the category of 'what about the free agents who played for us last year', it seems like only Jason Smith and Alexey Shved keep getting mentioned as guys that we would re-sign. Both Smith and Shved made 3.2 million last year.

The other guys who seem to be getting much less interest from us are Bargnani (let him go, PJ), Larkin, Amundson, Aldrich, Lance Thomas, Acy, Travis Wear, and Ricky Ledo. You'd figure it is a given Galloway is on the team next year with his under a million team option.

The only guy in that group I really care about is Aldrich coming back as our backup center, but only at the right price. If we can't get Robin Lopez or Omer Asik, Aldrich may actually be the next best affordable option for us at center.
 

tiger0330

Legend
NYK can go over cap to bring back Jason Smith and Alexi Schved. So they seem more likely options.
Good post Mafre. I agree spend the cap space on depth, we have so many roster spots to fill and one star won't be enough to turn this into a winning team.

I saw some mention of this in the NY Post article but they didn't explain how the Knicks can sign Smith and Shved and go over the cap. We're going to renounce both Shved and Smith so we're going to lose Shved's Bird rights when we do and we never had JSmith's rights since he's a one year player we signed in FA. Unless the Post is talking about the room exception which is only for $2.5M, below what both players were making last year how do we make offers competitive to what they were making and go over the cap? Anyone know?
 

tiger0330

Legend
It's been mentioned a couple times already, but under the category of 'what about the free agents who played for us last year', it seems like only Jason Smith and Alexey Shved keep getting mentioned as guys that we would re-sign. Both Smith and Shved made 3.2 million last year.

The other guys who seem to be getting much less interest from us are Bargnani (let him go, PJ), Larkin, Amundson, Aldrich, Lance Thomas, Acy, Travis Wear, and Ricky Ledo. You'd figure it is a given Galloway is on the team next year with his under a million team option.

The only guy in that group I really care about is Aldrich coming back as our backup center, but only at the right price. If we can't get Robin Lopez or Omer Asik, Aldrich may actually be the next best affordable option for us at center.
I see Aldrich as the only player they don't renounce since his cap hold is only slightly more than an empty roster spot. After signing all our FA's that would allow us to make an above vet min offer to him and go over the cap to to do it. I see him as more realistic to keep, PJ has said they would like to keep JSmith but it may not happen based on what happens in FA.

I'd love to see Amundson back as well but he's a guy that the Knicks are only going to want back at vet min and I think he goes to Europe if he can get a better deal there. I don't blame the guy after so many years in the league to be offered a 1yr vet min deal is discouraging.
 

Broadway

All Star
Good post Mafre. I agree spend the cap space on depth, we have so many roster spots to fill and one star won't be enough to turn this into a winning team.

I saw some mention of this in the NY Post article but they didn't explain how the Knicks can sign Smith and Shved and go over the cap. We're going to renounce both Shved and Smith so we're going to lose Shved's Bird rights when we do and we never had JSmith's rights since he's a one year player we signed in FA. Unless the Post is talking about the room exception which is only for $2.5M, below what both players were making last year how do we make offers competitive to what they were making and go over the cap? Anyone know?

I think you're correct Tig

New York can't go over the cap to sign Jason Smith because they have to renounce all existing contracts and exceptions to produce maximum cap space. They can sign those guys without having a maximum cap hit but it will eat into the cap space or they can sign them at a certain % above their previous yrs salary.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Al-Farouq Aminu to visit NY. Much rather have him for 4-8M than David West at 10M+, fits what the Knicks need better, hi motor, defender and rebounder, young and hasn't reached his ceiling yet. Showed glimpses of an offensive game during the playoffs, particularly a 3 pt shot.

 

Broadway

All Star
Caron Butler and Lou Williams have Knicks on radar.

So does that mean we're signing them or does this mean as they mentioned 5-6 other teams in the same manner they're going for teams who have a means to pay them?
 
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