Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
On top of all the drama and hoopla surrounding their offseason, here are five potential free agent targets for the New York Knicks.
The New York Knicks may have saved their summer.
With the news that the Knicks and team president Phil Jackson are parting ways, the franchise may have performed a last-minute salvage job of their offseason.
The toxic culture that had built up over Jackson's time in charge was not only affecting the Knicks' roster, but it was making it increasingly difficult to attract prospective players to the Big Apple.
As ESPN's Zach Lowe recently tweeted:
This stance could possibly change now with Jackson's dismissal, and the subsequent introduction of current general manager, Steve Mills, to oversee all matters related to free agency.
While this move certainly erases the doubt surrounding Kristaps Porzingis' future, the same can't be said for their 10-time All-Star, Carmelo Anthony.
Although he has been adamant in wanting to remain with the Knicks in spite of Jackson, Anthony is fully aware that at age 33, he isn't getting any younger, and that the chance of being in a position to compete for a championship is getting more difficult by the day. But with Melo holding a no-trade clause in his contract, this make it much more difficult for the Knicks to deal him away.
Jackson catapulted the franchise into the headlines recently when he wouldn't rule out trading their 21-year-old potential superstar in Porzingis. Seen as the future of the franchise, Knicks fans and the NBA community in general, were both angry and flummoxed that Jackson could see this as a viable option.
New York Knicks, team president Phil Jackson to part ways Wednesday https://t.co/ueOsp0ANpC
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) June 28, 2017
Of course this stems back to Porzingis skipping the team's annual exit interview, primarily due what he saw as the "drama and dysfunction" surrounding the franchise. The prime example of this has been Jackson's relationship Anthony. The line was basically crossed for Porzingis when Jackson stated at his end-of-season press conference:
"We have not been able to win with him (Anthony) on the court at this time and I think the direction with our team is that he is a player that would be better off somewhere else and using his talent somewhere he can win or chase that championship."
Clearly, Porzingis saw this as yet another example off the breakdown in the relationship between the Knicks' front office and its marquee player. Recently, Jackson explained his stance on Porzingis:
"We're listening, but we're not intrigued yet at this level. But as much as we love this guy, we have to do what's good for our club."
Now with Jackson out of the picture, the Knicks can turn their attention to free agency, and find a way to move the franchise forward as quickly as possible. With the triangle offense seemingly out of the picture, head coach Jeff Hornacek and his players should now be able to focus on the far more up-tempo, modern-day pace-and-space style of play.
With this in mind, here are five realistic targets the Knicks should attempt to land this summer.
Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
5. Otto Porter Jr., Washington Wizards
With the future of Anthony in the Big Apple seemingly in doubt, Porter represents a serious option as the Knicks attempt to rebuild their roster.
A prototypical 3-and-D small forward, Porter's length and athleticism would be a welcome addition to the Knicks' front line. In his end of season press conference, Jackson expressed his desire to add player traits that seemingly fit Porter's skill set:
"Right now we need players that are really active, can play every single play, defensively and offensively. That's really important for us."
Last season with the Wizards, Porter averaged 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 32.6 minutes per game. His career-best 43.4 percent three-point shooting would be a welcome addition to a Knicks team that ranked 21st in the league in three-point percentage, and 24th in three-pointers made per game.
Porter's ability to contribute off the ball would be a nice fit within whatever system the Knicks choose to run moving forward. Last season, Porter had a usage rate of just 14.9, with 77.3 percent of his field goal's made coming from an assist.
Furthermore, as a high-level athlete with a 7'1″ wingspan, the 6'8″ Porter has all the tools to be a menace on the defensive end. Last season, his 1.5 steals per game ranked 24th in the league, while his 2.9 deflections per game ranked 21st in the league.
His premier game last season came during an early season win against the Eastern Conference finalist Boston Celtics. Playing 38 minutes, Porter recorded 34 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks.
Like many free agents, Porter's asking price may be the deciding point. As a restricted free agent, the Wizards have the right to match any offer made by a rival team. With an expected offer in the four-year, $80 million range, the Knicks will likely have to extend themselves if they feel Porter is the right fit for their future.
Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
4. Patty Mills, San Antonio Spurs
Mills may not be star, but he could prove to be a more than worthy acquisition.
With the Knicks now seemingly in a rebuilding mode, Mills would provide an excellent backup to the Knicks' No. 8 overall pick, Frank Ntilikina. This season, the six-foot Australian, who came in ninth in voting for the Sixth Man of the Year award, averaged 9.5 points and 3.5 assists in 21.9 minutes per game. This numbers rose in his eight starts, averaging 12.1 points and 5.9 assists in 28.2 minutes per game.
The addition of Mills would give the Knicks a great deal of flexibility in their backcourt. While clearly one of the more explosive backup point guards in the league, Mills has also shown demonstrable proficiency when inserted into a starting role. With Ntilikina gradually adjusting to the league next season, the presence of Mills in both a backup and starting role would be of great benefit for Ntilikina and the Knicks as a whole.
Mills' most impressive performance last season came during a road win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Playing 28 minutes, Mills posted 23 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals. He also shot 5-of-7 from behind the three-point line and was a +17 while on the floor.
Mills' importance to the Spurs is clear, particularly when his production is at a high level. Last season, Mills shot 41.4 percent from three-point range on 1.8 makes per game. Overall, Mills had 22 games where Mills hit three or more three-pointers. The Spurs compiled a 20-2 record over these games, with Mills averaging 15.4 points on 57.9 percent shooting from downtown.
Mills will be 29 to begin next season, representing possibly his last chance at a big pay-day. A conservative estimate in the three-year, $30 million range is not out of question for a player whose presence in the locker room will be on par with value on the court. As an unrestricted free agent, and with the Spurs facing salary cap pressures of their own, Mills is certainly an attainable player for the Knicks this summer.
Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
3. Jeff Teague, Indiana Pacers
Despite coming off a very productive season, Teague's one season in Indiana could be his last.
At 29 and still in his prime, the speedy point guard is naturally going to be the subject of plenty of interest. With the triangle now a thing of the past following Jackson's departure as team president, there appears to be a mutual interest between the Knicks and Teague.
ESPN's Knicks' beat writer, Ian Begley, reported the following:
"With Phil Jackson out and the triangle de-emphasized, the Knicks, under general manager Steve Mills, have interest in free agent point guard Jeff Teague, league sources told ESPN. League sources say the interest in Teague is mutual. The Knicks, under Mills, had talked to the Hawks about trading for Teague two years ago."
This season with the Pacers, Teague averaged 15.3 points, 7.8 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. An All-Star in 2015, Teague also recorded a career-high 16 double-doubles, while his assist count was also a career high.
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With Jackson gone, the Knicks' incumbent starting point guard, Derrick Rose, is now more likely to leave. This has been reinforced with Begley's revelation that the Knicks have now renewed their interest in Teague.
Despite averaging a career-high in assists, Teague had a relatively low usage rate for a point guard at 22.1. This was primarily due to playing alongside All-Star Paul George, who had a usage rate of 29.0. Therefore, demonstrating his ability to perform productively despite taking a backseat will great comfort for the Knicks considering the presence of Porzingis and, if he remains, Anthony.
Teague's most notable game last season came during a road win against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Playing 40 minutes, Teague registered 30 points, nine assists, six steals and five rebounds.
With George wanting out of Indiana, there is every chance that the Pacers will let Teague walk in order to commence a complete rebuild of their roster. The fact that Teague is an unrestricted free agent may make the decision easier for the Pacers to let him walk.
A four-year deal with an estimated annual salary in the $15-20 million range is the likely price tag for Teague's services. With elite-level quickness and a consistent level of production over multiple seasons, he would pair well with Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek and his system.
Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
2. Dion Waiters, Miami Heat
Last season was somewhat of a reclamation year for Waiters, one of the more polarizing players in the league. Betting on himself last summer by signing a two-year, $6 million with a player option after last season, Waiters' faith in himself was rewarded with a highly productive season in South Beach.
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In 46 games, Waiters averaged 15.8 points, 4.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 30.1 minutes per game. He flourished as the season progressed, averaging 18.7 points, 5.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds over his final 23 games of the season before succumbing to an ankle injury.
Having developed a reputation as a selfish, shoot-first and moody teammate, Waiters demonstrated a much more diverse game in his solitary season in Miami. Entering last season with a career average of 2.5 assists per game, Waiters' playmaking abilities were certainly on show in averaging a career-best 4.3 assists per game.
In fact, Waiters had eight games last season where he posted seven or more assists. The Heat posted a 7-1 record during these games, with the one loss coming on the road against the NBA champion Golden State Warriors. This is a significant accomplishment considering Waiters was sharing the backcourt with a terrific point guard in Goran Dragic.
Waiters' signature game for the season came during the Heat's return bout against the Warriors. Playing 33 minutes, Waiters posted 33 points, five rebounds and four assists. He shot 6-of-8 from behind three, which included the game-winning 25-foot three-pointer with 11 seconds remaining.
This was of course capped by this signature pose.
Three players have dropped 30 in a W vs the #Warriors this year:
Kawhi Leonard
LeBron James
Dion Waitershttps://t.co/Afj0t9br22 @MiamiHEAT pic.twitter.com/RnsxNcrnq3— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) January 24, 2017
The performance earned him Player of the Week honors, averaging 23.3 points, 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 48 percent from three-point range.
Estimating Waiters' value on the open market is not an exact science, but last summer's cash bonanza can help give a rough estimate. Contract's such as Kent Bazemore's four-year, $70 millions dealt and Allen Crabbe's four-year, $75 million deal can be seen as realistic comparisons for Waiters.
While Waiters is far from polished as an NBA player, he is still just 25 and brings a legitimate X-factor that was exhibited on several occasions last season with the Heat. With a clearly improved handle and playmaking ability, Waiters could provide with a true combo-guard capable of a variety of roles.
Furthermore, the fact Waiters is now an unrestricted free agent is one aspect working in the Knicks' favor.
Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
1. Jrue Holiday, New Orleans Pelicans
There is certainly a risk-reward component attached to the pursuit of Holiday.
Since leaving Philadelphia in 2013, Holiday has missed 122 games over the past four seasons. The main point of contention has been a recurring lower-leg stress fracture that has hampered Holiday's progress in recent years.
Last season, Holiday had the horrifying drama of dealing with his wife suffering from a brain tumor, which resulted in a delayed start to his season. Fortunately Holiday was able to remain healthy and complete a very solid season once he returned. Over 67 games, the 27-year-old Holiday averaged 15.4 points, 7.3 assists, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 32.7 minutes per game.
When in full flight, Holiday is simply a great point who can contribute in a multitude of ways on the offensive end. Furthermore, Holiday provides a formidable presence on the defensive end. His 1.5 steals per game ranked 20th in the league, while his 3.2 deflections per game ranked 14th overall. Furthermore, the Pelicans had a defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 102.8 with Holiday on the court, which subsequently jumped to 107.6 when resting.
His most impressive performance last season came during a home win against the eventual Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Holiday posted 33 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks in 40 minutes of play.
While Holiday is among the upper echelon of free agent talents available, he's also going to command some serious dollars. The maximum the Knicks could offer Holiday this summer is around the four-year, $130 million range. As an unrestricted free agent, the Knicks may have to offer close to this amount as there are likely a number of attractive suitors for Holiday's services.
Based on his age and performance last season, there's no reason Holiday can't replicate his 2013 All-Star form and re-establish himself among the elite in the game.
