Getty Kendrick Nunn takes the ball to the basket during a May 11 game against the Boston Celtics.
Fans and the players alike are expecting a big offseason from the New York Knicks, whose future is looking bright after making their first playoff appearance since 2013.
With all of Immanuel Quickley, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and RJ Barrett in-house, the team’s foundation is finally looking like that of a successful team, even if only around the edges.
No one’s arguing that the Knicks need a true star power to elevate them to that next tier, but the upcoming free agency market isn’t necessarily brimming with players of that caliber.
Still, with New York projected to be operating with north of $55-million in cap space, a splurge is inevitable.
Among options at point guard, one represents a high-upside signee, and he’s recently been to an NBA Finals.
Kendrick Nunn to New York?
In his latest reporting for SNY, Ian Begley addressed the upcoming point guard market in advance of the New York Knicks’ search for an upgrade at the position.
One name that sticks out is Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn, who Begley reports is being looked at by the team:
Nunn, per sources, is among the guards who have been on the Knicks’ radar as they consider their offseason plans. Nunn shot 38.1 percent from beyond the arc on nearly six attempts per game this season and shot it remarkably well in the second half of the season.
The second-year guard is coming off of a strong season in South Beach, where he averaged 14.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game and started 44 of 56 games played.
Nunn’s ceiling in the NBA isn’t yet defined after just two seasons playing contributor minutes in Miami. He’s gone from starter to sixth man and back for the Heat, who made the NBA Finals in 2019.
Begley also mentioned Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder, Devonte Graham, Kyle Lowry, and Lonzo Ball as other names to keep an eye on as the New York Knicks are determined to alter their guard rotation ahead of the 2021-2022 campaign.
What Does a Deal Look Like for Nunn?
As a restricted free agent, Kendrick Nunn’s value will almost be entirely determined by the market landscape.
Less than two weeks ago, The Athletic’s John Hollinger reported that the guard could earn up to $15-million:
Sources tell The Athletic that Nunn could get offers in the $15 million a year range and Robinson perhaps even more, especially if he can burn all the tape of him guarding Khris Middleton.
And Ian Begley noted in his report that one person he spoke to drew similarities between Nunn and Terry Rozier, who recently left the Boston Celtics in lieu of a payday in 2019.
One member of an opposing organization analyzing the market drew a comparison between the 25-year-old Nunn and Terry Rozier, who averaged nine points per game in his last season with the Celtics before signing a three-year, $56 million deal with Charlotte.
But when asked about in his mailbag column, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel compared this situation to that of Tyler Johnson, who the Miami Heat retained in restricted free agency back in 2015:
Ultimately, as when Tyler Johnson signed his four-year, $50 million with the Nets, the Heat will have to weight the merits of matching, or not matching. Some of that will come down to the Heat’s plans otherwise with their backcourt going forward (Kyle Lowry? Victor Oladipo?).
It seems the consensus is that Kendrick Nunn will get paid.
Whether or not the New York Knicks agree won’t be determined until free agency opens up in August.
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