I really like DJ White a lot. I can't believe I didn't consider him sooner...If you look at all the average to above average 'role player' type PFs around the league ---- guys like Brandon Bass, Chris Wilcox, Kris Humphries, Taj Gibson, Anderson Varejao, Samardo Samuels, Jason Maxiell, Carl Landry, David West, Jordan Hill, Mo Speights, Darrell Arthur, Udonis Haslem, Drew Gooden, Nick Collison, Glen Davis, Earl Clark, Kyle O'Quinn, Markieff Morris, JJ Hickson, Jared Jeffries, Chuck Hayes, Jason Thompson, DeJuan Blair, Amir Johnson, Paul Millsap, Trevor Booker, Craig Smith --- I think White's right there with all these guys. You can make a good case that he's at least as good as any of these players. Better than most of 'em if you ask me..
Now some of these guys make very good money which is why I'm not sure if White could be had for the vet minimum but it wouldn't stop me from asking. Maybe if we came with an honest offer of a 1-yr vet minimum contract with a promise of regular rotation mins and maybe a handshake under the table to re-up him at a better deal when the time came, he might accept those terms. Playing in meaningful games for a NY Knick team that's finally turned the corner and expected to do some nice things, at MSG--the Mecca, has got to be better than going back to the Bobcats, no? Hopefully we've reached out to this guy already or have plans to do so -- I think he'd be perfect here. Just make a solid pitch and even if it's rejected -- maintain the interest and keep up communications with White & his agent. White may be willing to hold out for now but as training camp approaches and he continues to not get the offers he might be looking for, maybe we can get him a few weeks from now at our price. I'd reach out and start having dialogue now though...Gimmie a PF like White that can contribute on both ends and on the glass and maybe 1 more young, athletic wing (I'm tellin' ya, former Arizona Wildcat Jamelle Horne would be great for us) and I'm ready to go to war with this club. Everything else seems to have fallen in place. We get this guy, we could reduce Amar'e's minutes during the season (maybe even give him blocks of games off at a time in fact) and keep him fresh for the playoffs. I think STAT's gonna have a big bounce-back season, but he has broken down the last couple of years now -- keeping him fresh should be a top priority. Adding White would allow us to accomplish this. As good as STAT is, I don't even know if we'd lose all that much having White in for Stoudemire for stretches. That's how effective I think White could be here. He's a skilled, underrated & very efficient basketball player.
DJ White's career D-League numbers btw (I believe all while with the Thunder) --- 16 games (15 starts), 36.2 mins, 19.5 ppg on 59.1% FG, 86.7% FT, 9.6 rpg, 1.4 blks. Those numbers are very solid. This guy's ready for a much bigger role in the NBA if you ask me. The numbers don't lie and he passes the eye test with flying colors. Go get 'em, Glen!