Getty New York Knicks former center Enes Kanter
With the decision to trade Kristaps Porzingis, the New York Knicks have their sights set on the 2019 NBA offseason. More specifically, they’re locked on what should be a loaded free agency class with multiple top players potentially changing teams. And best of all, the Knicks will enter the recruitment period with two max contract slots should they opt to go that route.
And from the look of it, the team’s fanbase is ready to start celebrating those two max slots even before they’re used. A designer by the name of Soysbys created a custom Knicks jersey shirt on SunFrog.com which literally has the No. 2 with “MAX CONTRACTS” under it. And the front honors all that cap space, as you can see from the site.
https://www.sunfrog.com/155669623-1373857507.htmlSunFrog.com
The shirt is called “New Favorite Knick,” so there’s really no way to deny that this isn’t about the team. Regardless, it’s a clever shirt to lock in on the excitement around the likely upcoming push for a top free agent or two this offseason.
Kevin Durant & Kyrie Irving Top Targets for Knicks?
It’s been widely known that the focus in free agency for the Knicks will be on Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant. The Athletic’s Frank Isola confirmed as much back in December, stating that the team iis “all in” on Durant.
… the Knicks are all in on free agent-to-be Kevin Durant. The Warriors superstar is and should be the Knicks’ number one free agent target. And for what it’s worth, according to several NBA executives who attended last week’s G-League Showcase in Las Vegas, the general consensus is the Knicks are still very much in play to land Durant.
“Everyone says Knicks,” said one prominent player agent.
New York seems primed to go after Durant with everything they have this offseason, and there have been recent rumblings that a push for Kyrie Irving will go right alongside that. Roughly two weeks ago, Marc Stein of the New York Times stated on ESPN’s The Stephen A. Smith Show that the Knicks, along with the Brooklyn Nets believe they’ll have a shot at Irving in free agency.
“The Knicks and the Nets, both New York teams, have believed quietly for a long time that they’re going to have a shot at Kyrie Irving in free agency. It’s not like the teams interested in him heard what he said in October and said ‘oh well, we’ve got no shot, Kyrie is staying in Boston.’ These teams are going to try.” Stein stated.
Irving joining Durant in New York and the team potentially adding the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft could almost immediately flip the script for this franchise. Although the Knicks haven’t made the playoffs since the 2012-13 season, a core which is headlined by Durant, Irving, Kevin Knox, and potentially Zion Williamson would be dangerous and fun to watch.
READ NEXT: Kyrie Irving Responds to Anthony Davis Revealing Celtics on Trade List