Knicks’ Offseason Priorities: Defense, Trading Carmelo

The Knicks will emphasize defense in their offseason moves and are committed to shipping Carmelo Anthony out of New York, writes Ian Begley of ESPN.com.

If they can find a deal for Anthony, and he agrees to waive his no-trade clause, the Knicks will focus on a defensive-minded small forward as his replacement. Begley says the team is interested in Josh Jackson of Kansas, who is expected to be one of the first players selected in the June 22nd draft. The Knicks hold the sixth spot in our latest Reverse Standings.

Along with its lottery pick, New York will have about $25MM in cap room to pursue free agents if it decides not to re-sign Derrick Rose. Anthony and Rose are both among the league’s worst players at their positions in Defensive Real Plus-Minus stats, which plays a major role in the team’s problems at that end of the court.

Coach Jeff Hornacek said Monday that the organization understands it needs to upgrade on defense.

“I think if you look at our defense this year, we can use some more defensive players,” he said. “[Management] will look at that. [General manager] Steve [Mills] and [president] Phil [Jackson] and those guys will look at whatever can help us out. We know we need some help there.”

The Knicks have been in the bottom third of the NBA’s defensive ratings all season and are currently seventh worst in points allowed at 108.5 per game. Adjusted for pace, they slip to fifth in the league.

Improvement will have to come outside of the current roster, Begley notes, as young front-line players Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez haven’t excelled at on-ball defense, although Hornacek said Hernangomez has been improving.

“He gives us different options,” the coach said. “He’s got quicker feet, so maybe we can pull him up on screens more often, that might help us out. Playing [Porzingis] at the 5, maybe with his length, if we keep him back. So we can be better from the inside.”

The Knicks were hoping they had found a defensive anchor last summer when they gave a four-year, $72MM deal to Joakim Noah. But injuries have limited him to 46 games and his poor offensive play led Hornacek to keep him on the court only about 22 minutes per night.

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