The speculation on what the Knicks will do reaches an all-time high during the off-season period. While anything can happen, there are certainties like roster rules, cap space rules, and signing rules, and there are known variables like the fact that Arron Afflalo and Derrick Williams will decide whether to stay or go. These two factors gives us a much clearer picture of what the Knicks have to work with and what they can and cannot do.
Will the Knicks Sign a Max Player?
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
All of the power is in Afflalo and Williams’ hands. While Knick fans would love to see a big name signing, the budget doesn’t fit that mission. The NBA must have a 12 player roster, at minimum, from the Knicks by opening day. If Afflalo and Williams stay, the Knicks will have to sign 3 more players. Derrick and Arron staying means the Knicks will have $19 million of spending money. A max contract for this year starts at $21 million and goes up depending on how long a player has been in the league. So, the Knicks do not have enough money to sign any max player in the scenario where Afflalo and Williams stay.
More Money More Problems
If Afflalo and Williams do leave, the Knicks will then need to sign five players to have a legal roster. The Knicks will have $31.5 million to spend. While that does give them enough for a max player, it is only enough for one and the Knicks would have to sign for the minimum max money. If they do sign a max player, then the Knicks will have $10.5 million at most to sign the four more players they need.
Rules to Remember
Now there are a few simple ways to get more money without trading away picks, players, or cutting anybody.
Bird rights is a cap exception rule that allows a team to sign up to the maximum to keep a player. Early bird rights are different because a player qualifies after 2 years and team must give less than the maximum. It is also important to know a player on a one-year contract gets veto power if they are almost at their Bird rights. So if a player doesn’t want to go to the Knicks and he is one year away from his Bird rights he has the power to make sure he doesn’t go to the Knicks.
Another way to get more money is to use the mid-level exception, which allows a team to sign a player for a set amount if they are near or over the cap. This year they can sign for:
$5.45 million for teams without cap room, below the tax apron
$3.27 million for teams over the tax apron
$2.725 million for teams with cap room
Yes We Can!
There are 114 free agents who were worth grading but even if a team doesn’t select one of these players there are undrafted players, development league players, unsigned rookies, and international players. The sky is the limit with combinations and creative cap moves but on average the salary for 2016 so far is $4 million and the median is $1 million. Here are examples of the types of players based on these averages and median:
We can get a few of: Mirza Teletovic , Terrence Jones, Ramon Sessions, Jonas Jerebko, Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes, Timofey Mozgov, Bismack Biyombo
We can get alot of: Michael Beasley, Donald Sloan, Matthew Dellavedova, Luis Scola, Gerald Green, Jon Leuer , Tyler Hansbrough, JaVale McGee, Kareem Rush
We can get one or two of: Ryan Anderson, Brandon Jennings, Pau Gasol, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Evan Turner, Jamal Crawford
To give the fans a realistic idea of who the Knicks can go after and what the Knicks should go after, lets imagine the signing of Kevin Durant, or LeBron James if you really wanted to go crazy. Kevin Durant is guaranteed $25.3 million based on his experience and Lebron is guaranteed $29.5 million. In other words, that is the lowest max contract money they can take, and they would have to ignore any higher offer and pick the Knicks. If the Knicks did sign Durant they would have $5.7 million to sign four players and since the average salary is $4 million, the Knicks would have to sign guys like Jimmer Fredette, J.J. Hickson, Chase Budinger, and fans get the picture. On the other hand, if they sign James they would have $1.5 million to sign four players and must go even cheaper than those previous guys. Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Darion Atkins, and Wesley Saunders (all guys who suited up for the Knicks this season) would have to be brought back. Which makes max contracts not only foolish but virtually impossible.
