Following a Conference Semifinals ending to 2023-2024, the New York Knicks will head back to the drawing board, looking for means to upgrade the roster.
Adding firepower to the bench will be among the top priorities.
One option that could present itself is Milwaukee Bucks guard Malik Beasley, who will be an unrestricted free agent.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report argued that New York should sign the sharpshooter to a bargain contract in his latest column.
“Most modern NBA teams could use more shooting, and the Knicks are certainly no exception,” Buckley wrote on June 6. “That’s how the Knicks could potentially be drawn to a player like Malik Beasley—provided, of course, coach Tom Thibodeau wouldn’t just torpedo that plan given Beasley’s…uh…less than stellar impact defensively.”
Beasley is a starter for the Bucks, which makes the sell on joining the Knicks bench difficult.
He averaged 11.3 points on 41-percent shooting from three in 77 appearances in the 2023-2024 regular season.
Buckley: Beasley Would Be ‘Fire-Baller’ Off Bench
Beasley hit on 224 threes this season. That would rank second in New York behind only Donte DiVincenzo.
As the postseason waned on for the Knicks, shots started falling less as players left the floor with injury.
“They were decent from distance this season, but by no means dominant: 10th in makes, 14th in percentage,” Buckley continued. “Both of those rankings could obviously be improved, and if they were, that might bring out a new level of efficiency in this offense…”
Buckley argues that Beasley fits a need for the offense and for New York as a whole, a team in need of more able bodies.
“If New York could live with that weakness, then it could have a fire-baller for its bench,” Buckley wrote. “Beasley is best from long range (he has averaged 3.0 three-pointers on 38.8 percent shooting over the past four seasons), but he’ll also speed ahead in transition and occasionally create his own mid-range looks off the dribble.”
Offensive inefficiency was the second biggest crux in the Knicks’ 2024 playoff run, behind a lack of available players.
And off the bench specifically. New York’s starters accounted for 87.5 of the team’s 109.9 points per game in the playoffs.
Backup PG Should Be a Priority for Knicks
Within their search for upgrades along the bench, backup point guard should be the Knicks’ priority.
Miles McBride filled in for Jalen Brunson this season, but Immanuel Quickley was missed.
According to Cleaning the Glass, New York was outscored by 5.4 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs with Brunson off the floor. They scored 108.4 points per, which ranks in the 14th percentile.
On the flip side, with Brunson on the floor, the Knicks outscored opponents by 1.5 points per, and the offense put up 121.1 points per. That’s good for the 86th percentile.
Beasley isn’t the answer there. Names that will be available on the free agent market include Kyle Lowry, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Tyus Jones.
Jones would be the best fit for New York. He has 2,593 assists to 466 career turnovers.
Coming off a career year with the Washington Wizards, Jones is in line for a payday. His last deal paid him $29 million over two years.
Whether or not the Knicks will be in line to pay up for the 28-year-old is unclear.
New York is expected to prioritize resigning OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein this summer.
How much room will be left for other moves is likely slim. They’re armed with the non-taxpayer’s midlevel exception.
For the 2023-2024 season the number was $12.4 million.
It’s undetermined what it will be for 2024-2025. New York will simply hope it’s enough to land a player capable of moving the needle.
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Knicks Urged to Sign ‘Fire-Baller’ Bucks Guard in Free Agency