While Kyrie Irving has been linked to New York for months, he’s not the only Celtics free agent that the Knicks will have their eye on this offseason. League sources tell A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston that the Knicks will also have interest in Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris.
Rozier, who is finishing his rookie contract with Boston, will be eligible for restricted free agent, meaning the Celtics will have the option to match any offer sheet he signs, assuming they issue him a qualifying offer to retain his rights. Morris will be an unrestricted free agent.
While Rozier and Morris may be among the names on the Knicks’ wish list, the team figures to use its cap room to target top-tier free agents like Irving and Kevin Durant before turning to its Plan B or C. According to Blakely, New York has also expressed some interest in Daniel Theis, but he’d be even further down the club’s list, and isn’t considered a likely target.
Rozier’s free agency should be one of the more interesting cases this summer, particularly among non-stars. He spoke at the end of the Celtics’ season about wanting a “fresh start” and a more prominent role, whether that happens in Boston or elsewhere. And during an appearance today on ESPN’s Get Up (video link via Chris Grenham of NESN), he expressed little interest in returning to Boston if the C’s plan to run it back in 2019/20 with the same roster.
“I might have to go,” Rozier told Stephen A. Smith when asked about that scenario. “I put up with a lot this year. I said what I said after the season. I think we all know that I’m not trying to step into that again.”
During the same interview, Rozier also didn’t exactly offer an enthusiastic endorsement for his experience of playing alongside – and behind – Irving in Boston.
“He’s a great guy, great leader,” Rozier said of Irving (video link via The Undefeated). “You know, you just have to adjust to his style. Whatever Kyrie wants done, he’s gonna show it, that’s what he wants done. You have to adjust to his style of play and how he goes about every game and every day.”
Legend in his own mind.
The Knicks are going to get like the 6th pick tonight, then whiff on all the major free agents, then panic and give max contracts to Tobias Harris and Paul Millsap. Then they’ll pick through and overpay for trash like Rozier.
And I say this as a Knicks fan. Can’t wait until Dolan is gone.
dolan will never be gone!
obviously not a fan if you think they are getting the 6th pick because they cant get worse than 5
Damn dude. I just said the same thing. Not in that order tho. Knicks will get the worst pick they can get whether thats 5th or 6th. Not sure. Then they will get Middleton and Kemba. Wouldnt be surprised if they reach out to Harrison Barnes. The Knicks man. Bring us some luck tonight Pat!
What type of fan doesn’t know they can’t get the 6th pick?
A Knicks fan. There’s no reason to follow closely with Dolan at the helm.
This fan that doesnt follow closely due to major disappointments after disappointment since 2000. Knowing our luck we will get the worst pick we can possibly get.
I actually think Kemba would be a good pick-up, but imo he’s going to be as good as they get.
Trash? He’s the 5th or 6th best PG in the Easter conference
If true, he has risen!
Can I ask this question? I haven’t lived in NY in a decade. What had Dolan done, other than maybe higher the wrong FO ppl? He doesn’t seem anywhere near as bad as George Steinbrenner was in the 80’s.
Since hiring Jackson, his only sin was leaving Mills in charge. Since even before that, Dolan actually has less day to day involvement with the Knicks than almost any NBA owner has with their team.
His history makes him a good boogie man for Knick fans and lazy writers.
Don’t forget Isiah Thomas. That was a fiasco as well. Good thing he doesn’t know anything about hockey…
So his sin is making poor personnel choices? The way the media and fans behave they make it seem like he meddled in day to day operations and personally traded away or skipped over obvious draft picks as if he was the NBA version of Steinbrenner.
At the end of the day, aside from the poor GM choices, isn’t he the ideal owner in that he’s willing to spend and doesn’t get involve in day to day stuff?
If the Knick FO is even discussing guys like Rozier and Morris, it’s a sign that the reign of Mills/Perry/Fiz won’t end well regardless of how the ping pong balls bounce tonight. But, based on their resume to date, it’s hard to just call BS on it. Nothing would shock me.
Why Morris though? Morris is a solid role player to have who rebounds, defends well, and can stretch the floor (and doesn’t seem to complain about his role). Morris was arguably the Celtics most consistent player in the playoffs and it showed. Regardless of who the Knicks end up signing/getting in the draft, they still need to build a team around them. Morris would be a smart signing by any team assuming they’re not severely overpaying him.
Morris would be a good signing, for a winning team with their stars and a system in place. That’s exactly why the Knicks shouldn’t be discussing him. The only way the Knicks get anywhere close to being appropriate for a guy like Morris is if they sign 2 max guys (in which case they won’t have the cap space to sign Morris). Otherwise, they’re in a year 2 of a multi-year rebuild, and Morris serves no purpose. As for overpaying, that’s a given in most of the NBA FA market. It’s OK, because smart teams know you don’t try and build a contending team there; more like adding a final piece or two.
Boston would be smart to re-sign Terry and let Kyrie go. People are getting on Terry because of his awful shooting night Game 7 of last year but the Boston offense was a resemblance of the Spurs and Warriors the way they ran up and down the floor and the ball movement.
Danny Ainge would be ludicrous to let Terry go, let him grow with Jayson and Jaylen.
Terry Rozier has never shot well in his career. He’s been below 40% for his entire career.
Yea what about everything else he does? He defends,he can make plays without the ball on offense and defense and he can get out and run and push the tempo. Perfect guard for a system, he can switch and is lightning quick.
Totally agree!
I’m with Dionis. Keep Rozier let Irving hit the road.
I don’t think you have to worry about making that choice. Irving will likely make that choice for you.
I’m not saying Rozier isn’t a solid player. He’s a solid rotational player but a team is going to pay him expecting him to be their 2nd or 3rd best option and they’re going to be disappointed.
The numbers he puts up are respectable/above average for backup player minutes but his poor shooting is going to be a huge issue when he’s getting 30+ minutes a game and is running the offense. Again the guy has never shot above 40% during the regular season and his highest shooting percentage ever was 40.6% in last year’s playoffs. Any other starter on a playoff team and fans/media would be criticizing him for not shooting better yet somehow Rozier gets a pass for failing to do something that he has yet to do in 4 seasons? Again I’m not saying he’s a bad player…he’s a solid rotational player (who I think is overrated). My issue is that somebody is going to pay him a lot of money expecting him to be a key player on their (hopeful) playoff team and be disappointed.
Rubio is another decent PG, but can’t shoot. Defenses lay off him, focusing on other players to defend. Changes the way a game is played.
In THIS nba, you need a PG than can shoot at a decent % and he would have to be on Westbrook level if he’s NOT an elite shooter. Rozier is highly overrated. He’s a volume shooting PG who doesn’t create shots for his teammates. Since when do we ignore stats? So what he had a good playoff run last year.
Why are people so down on Rozier? In the playoffs last year, he had a ridiculously good assist to turnover ratio. Isn’t that what a point guard should have? Why can’t that extend to a full Season? Kyrie doesn’t fit with the Celtics, but Rozier fit very well with them last year when he got to play regularly.
His counting stats might go up but more playing time likely won’t improve his poor shooting. If you want a playmaker with good D but shoots poorly you’re better signing Ricky Rubio for far less money.
Somebody is going to give Rozier a big contract this offseason and regret it after one year. He has never shot over 40% in his career during the regular season (and only shot above 40% in the 2017-2018 playoffs when he shot 40.6%). Rozier is a solid backup/fringe starter but somebody is likely going to pay him expecting him to be the 2nd or 3rd best player on their team and be disappointed.
Fringe starter? He’s start on at least 10 other teams
On a bad team yeah. For a good team/playoff team who is he starting for? The top 8 teams in the West have their point guard situations figured out (extend that to top 10 with the Kings and Lakers assuming Lonzo sticks around). In the East the Bucks are set with Bledsoe, Philly has Simmons/Reddick (assuming they resign him, and he’s a better fit next to Simmons than Rozier is), and Toronto has Lowry. The only potential contenders with a potential need are the Celtics (obviously since him and Kyrie are FAs), Indy maybe, the Magic, and maybe the Nets (depending on free agency and they still have Dinwiddie so its not a huge need).
The Bucks should sign him as a backup point guard. That would make for an interesting locker room dynamic. : )
Perfect Scary Terry to Bucks to pair with Eric Bledsoe
click bait headline the article fails to mention a knicks gm/coach/admin mention either player
That would be tampering.