I was the guy who thought the New York Knicks would be a 30-plus win team before the 2014-2015 NBA season began. You could say the joke was on me.
The Knicks are currently sitting dead last in the NBA with a mortifying record of 5-35. They are competing against the Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves for the first overall pick, which as of right now, is projected to be 6’ll” Duke center Jahlil Okafor. Okafor would significantly solve the issues at center for the Knicks who have struggled at the position since losing Tyson Chandler in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks this past summer. Although injury prone, Chandler earned Defensive Player of the Year honours in 2012, and was also the starting center for the United States team in the same year at the London Summer Olympics.
Earlier this week, the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder coordinated a six-player trade. For the Knicks, shooting guard’s J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert were sent packing to Cleveland, with a 2019 2nd round pick and three players with non-guaranteed contracts in Alex Kirk and Lou Amundson from the Cavs, and Lance Thomas from the Thunder, being sent to the “Big Apple”.
All three of these players the Knicks have received, are expected to be waived, following the path of Canadian center Samuel Dalembert (acquired in the Chandler trade), who was waived by the team on Monday.
Here is both the Knicks current starting lineup (when healthy), as well as the team’s expiring contracts:
- PG Jose Calderon
- SG Tim Hardaway Jr.
- SF Carmelo Anthony
- PF Jason Smith
- C Cole Aldrich
Expirings:
- PF Amar’e Stoudemire – $23,410,988
- PF Andrea Bargnani – $12,000,000
- PF Jason Smith -$3,278,000
- C Samuel Dalembert (cleared waivers) – $1,885,755 (50% retained)
- PG Shane Larkin -$1,606,080
- C Cole Aldrich – $981,084
- C Quincy Acy – $915,243
- SF Travis Wear – $507,336
All in all, the Knicks have an annual payroll of $80,414,012, but by the time this dreadful season comes to a close, they will be at $34,161,96. This will leave Executive Chairman James Dolan and President Phil Jackson $46,252,049 to spend in the offseason, and that’s without knowing how much the salary cap will rise this summer!
This upcoming free agency includes the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Love, and LaMarcus Aldridge. The Knicks have been linked to all the hot commodities who are set to become UFA’s at the end of the season, and with superstar Carmelo Anthony already locked in for five more years, it’s clear Derek Fisher’s club will be ready to contend.
Say what you want, the city of New York simply attracts players. Spanish star Pau Gasol could’ve went to the defending champion San Antonio Spurs this past offseason, but instead, he chose Chicago. Why? He wanted to be in a big city and a big market. New York fits the script, and with the mass amount of cap space that they’ll have, the Knicks might actually have their hands tied when trying to figure out which superstar they want to throw money at! Kevin Love or LaMarcus Aldridge? Marc Gasol or Greg Monroe? Goran Dragic or Rajon Rondo? DeAndre Jordan or Brook Lopez? Hell, could Kawhi Leonard have a future with the Knicks? The Spurs might regret not giving the NBA Finals MVP a max deal in lieu of waiting a season and risk losing him entirely.
If I was James Dolan, it’s time to be aggressive this summer and put together a team that can bring the city it’s first NBA Championship since 1973. Here’s what I think the new New York Knicks will look like, come the start of next season:
Starting Five:
- PG Goran Dragic (signed)
- SG Reggie Jackson (signed)
- SF Carmelo Anthony
- PF LaMarcus Aldridge (signed)
- C Jahlil Okafor (drafted)
Bench:
SG Tim Hardaway Jr, PG Jose Calderon, SF Cleanthony Early, PF Quincy Acy ($1,181,348 team option exercised), C Cole Aldrich (re-signed), PG Pablo Prigioni, SG/SF Jared Dudley (signed)
If the Knicks pull off an offseason heist like this, which is highly feasible, it’s already time to crown the Eastern Conference Champions of 2015-2016.
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