At least a couple NBA teams have approached the Knicks to inquire on Damyean Dotson‘s potential availability, a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post.
Berman’s report gives no indication that the Knicks are looking to trade Dotson, but he suggests the team may have to consider a move by February’s trade deadline, given the 24-year-old’s role and contract situation.
A starter for nine Knicks games this season, Dotson has recently fallen out of the rotation, having not seen any action since November 18. As Berman observes, minutes may be even harder to come by for Dotson when Courtney Lee returns from his neck injury, which is expected to happen in the near future.
Berman also points out that the drafting of Dotson was spearheaded by former team president Phil Jackson and his top adviser, Clarence Gaines, meaning the current management group may not be as invested in seeing the 6’6″ guard succeed in New York.
After earning a $1.38MM salary this season, Dotson will remain under contract for one more season, with a non-guaranteed $1.62MM salary for 2019/20. The Knicks figure to go star-shopping this summer, and if they want to maximize their potential cap room, Dotson would likely become expendable. As such, trading him this season to a club that would want to lock in that modest ’19/20 salary could be a win-win for the player and the team.
In 15 games (26.9 MPG) for the Knicks so far this season, Dotson has posted 10.1 PPG and 4.5 RPG with a .431/.323/.636 shooting line.
I wouldn’t trade him. He’s a good 3 pt shooter, moves the ball and can defend both wing spots at a high level. Knicks need more, not fewer, guys like him. His contract is a plus for a team looking toward FA this summer. He’s controlled through next year and not much more than a roster hold, and he’s an RFA after that. He’s out of the rotation now, but that should change at some point.
For what it’s worth, the difference between Dotson’s salary and an empty roster charge would currently be the difference in whether or not the Knicks could offer a player like Durant his full max. That obviously could change based on other moves they make (trading or stretching Lee, for instance), but for now it’s not insignificant.
Currently, based on what assumptions? No trades or W&S, and renouncing all FAs other than KP (17 mm) and buying out Thomas (1 mm)-?
We both know that Durant will be offered and, in the unlikely event he accepts, they’ll find the space. If Dotson’s 800K (above roster hold salary) is the problem, they can trade him or just decline the option.
But renouncing everyone but KP (while worth it only for a player like Durant) is not an effective use of resources and pretty much nullifies the “development” year we’re supposedly witnessing. We’d be walking from Vonleh (UFA), Trier (RFA, unless they can agree to multi-year in season) and Burke (UFA), and all have cap holds that are only about 800K over a roster hold, same as Dotson’s option. Mudiay’s RFA status is an asset too that they’d be walking from. In total (with EK and MH), they’d walk from 4 of 5 current starters plus 2 of the 3 bench players that see the most minutes. So, I doubt they’d let it come to that. Then again, the Knicks rarely look ahead.
Yeah, no trades/W&S, cutting Thomas (who I believe wouldn’t have that $1MM guarantee if he’s cut before June 30) and renouncing all FAs except Porzingis. In that scenario, Dotson would be the difference between something like $37.6MM and $38.4MM in space (though of course the cap is unlikely to land precisely at $109MM, which will make these calculations a little different).
I don’t disagree with your assessment, and I think whatever happens with Lee will ultimately render any “big” decisions on these small-salary guys moot. Nonetheless, if they don’t envision a future role for Dotson, turning him into a second-round pick at the deadline could be a better use of resources than potentially waiving him in the offseason.
True, if they don’t see a path to PT over the next year and a half, then getting a 2nd might make sense. I just think it’s too early to determine that, with all the moving parts and question marks they have.
I don’t know that I would deal him in case they’re able to land a Durant this offseason. If the cap space is gone, having a young player who I see has potential makes sense to keep, not to get rid of.