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Now that the offseason is here for many teams, including the New York Knicks, several teams can now start looking at the plethora of options available to upgrade their roster.
The Knicks are in the unique situation of being a playoff team, playing in a big market, and having enough cap space to fit it in a big name such as Kawhi Leonard, if he were to become available.
This is because the Knicks took a gamble in the last offseason and loaded up the roster with 1-year contracts that largely outperformed their deals and led the team into the postseason.
With these deals expiring, the Knicks will either have to give these players raises, or they’ll have to hit free agency in search of changes. Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus compiled a list of the top 20 free agents and their possible landing places after talking with NBA scouts, executives and agents for several months.
Unsurprisingly, the Knicks are linked to many of these players. With point guard being one of the positions in need of a glaring upgrade, let’s take a look at the numerous options the team has this offseason.
Spencer Dinwiddie & Many Other Options
GettyKyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball against the Indiana Pacers during the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 23, 2019.
The biggest name on the list of potential point guard upgrades is Spencer Dinwiddie, who recently opted out of his deal with the Brooklyn Nets.
He’ll be looking for a big pay day, and the Knicks certainly have the ability to offer him that. Of course, they’ll want to make sure there’s room to bring in other players as well to round out the roster, so there’s a possibility they’ll look to other names.
According to Pincus, these are the point guards that the Knicks could possibly land this offseason:
- Spencer Dinwiddie
- Dennis Schroder
- Lonzo Ball
- Mike Conley Jr.
- Kyle Lowry
- Chris Paul
With the Knicks potentially entering a “win now” mindset with Julius Randle as the centerpiece, some of these names might make more sense than the others.
Paul, Lowry and Conley are much closer to the end of their careers than they are to beginning, but the Knicks could get some short-term production out of them if they want to go for a deep playoff run.
At 36 years old, Chris Paul has helped lead the Phoenix Suns all the way to the Western Conference Finals, proving he still has a bit left in the tank to help a team.
Lowry and Conley could provide the same boost, but it’s also easy to see names like Dinwiddie and Ball fitting right into the Knicks’ current plans for the present and future.
Don’t Forget Trades
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Outside of free agency, making a blockbuster trade is also in the cards for the Knicks. A name they’ve been frequently linked to is Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard.
Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson says superstars are going gravitate towards the New York Knicksnow, and he also believes Lillard could be the first domino to fall.
If Dame was available, to me that’s the right dude. That’s the right guy. He’s got to make a decision here. Does he say ‘Do I stay for one more, and try to give it one more try? or ‘Do I say this summer I want to go?’
It’s unclear at the moment what exactly the Knicks would have to give up to land Lillard, but with the team being packed with young talent including Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley, it’s certainly possible a deal could be done.
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