The Knicks have an unusual roster situation with training camps opening late this month.
They have only 12 players on standard contracts, yet they can only sign one more player on a veteran’s minimum contract. How so? They are hard-capped at the second tax apron, since they used the taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Guerschon Yabusele.
They are currently operating roughly $3.72MM below their hard cap, while veteran’s minimum contracts would count as $2,296,274 apiece. Thus, they’ll have to fill their 14th roster spot with a draft-rights-held rookie on a minimum contract ($1,272,870) unless they make a trade for cap relief.
Quite a few free agents have been mentioned as candidates for that veteran contract, mostly guards and wings.
Malik Beasley is no longer the target of a federal gambling investigation but his future in the league remains cloudy. However, Beasley – who had the second-most three-pointers in the league last season – would be an obvious boost to any bench.
The Knicks could instead pivot to a more familiar face. Shooting guard Landry Shamet and point guards Cameron Payne and Delon Wright are still available and each wore a New York uniform last season.
Malcolm Brogdon and Ben Simmons could also be considerations for the 13th spot. And there are plenty of other players looking for a deal — check out the list here.
That brings us to today’s topic: Which free agent should the Knicks sign to a veteran’s minimum contract with their available roster spot?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
Kevin Know or TJ Warren
Honestly they should make one trade. Offer McBride, Kolek, Ariel H, cash, draft rights to Lessort and a draft pick to Minnesota for Donte DiVincenzo and Joe Ingles
NY then two ways James N, Pate, Diawara
Kevin Knox*
McCuller promoted to a standard contract*
Trade Roko draft rights too*
Who is your backup point in this scenario?
There would be a open roster spot to sign a younger PG. Hood-Schfino or Jazion Gortmen. Veterans are Westbrook, Brogdon or Elfrid Payton
Clarkson and 6’3 Hart need to step up their games and show some ball handling skills. Josh Hart shouldn’t be playing PF that’s silly. Fat Lever could rebound and it doesn’t mean he should be a PF
Brogdon and Ben as ten year vets will command 3.7 mill minimum deals. So we can forget about them. Knicks could make a trade to open up more money. Just I don’t see a trade coming till after. They get a real good look at what they got. A Mitch trade could be coming later on. And they can use young players to add on to trade. To get the player they want, need ……
Shamet and Diawara fit into the money they have available. That seems the way to go for now. Diawara could surprise.
Shamet is due 2.1 mill for his tenure, vet minimum. Knicks can also wait till season starts. Then they can sign him for a bit less. I Rather Landry than Payne with Clarkson here. Landry can make up the money. With endorsements around NYC.
link to google.com
I’d take Burks back over Shamet, but it’s looking more and more like Shamet. Hopefully, Clarkson is the right guy. If they waited, possibly Beal or someone else may have come to New York instead. If they trusted Kolek more, I’d consider Precious as well to come back to New York. I was hoping McCullar Jr. would be given a spot.
The cap hits for Brogdon and Simmons would be 2.3M irrespective of how much money they actually make (the league subsidizes the difference). Same exact total for Shamet.
But keep on talking about things you straight up don’t understand lol. Dumbest Knicks fan on this website. Highest opinion of himself with the least to say.
Signing anyone for vet minimum at 3.7 mill. Will put them over the second apron. You understand YDMer. Why can’t they subsidize your brain.
Frankly I don’t see why Brogdon would take the minimum. It doesn’t really matter. Since I don’t want him or Ben. Now is that ok with you.
2K version for the illiterate ……
Al they can get both for vet min. The 2k dude is right about that. Knicks pay the full 3.7 but only 2.3 is a cap hit because it’s a minimum contract. So Ben and Brandon work.
I don’t want shamet, he has no role at all. So its Ben or Brogdon. They can help in the playoffs. On injury or night’s off play the young guys not shamet. Honestly they should kept the spot open for the first few weeks to see how Clarkson plays unless they get Ben. His D will help and playmaking. We don’t need him to score that’s what Clarkson is there for. Also Brown will make sure bridges get more shots.
I love Burks played against him in college twice when he was a freshman. But he is cooked now for a NBA player. We played on the same summer league team in Utah and let’s just say he expanded my game. Dude was nice. No to cam Payne he is trash. More of a negative. If you don’t go with Ben or Brogdon you have to go with wright. Big guard who can defend and should have been playing last year.
I agree with this. Simmons or Brogdon. Kinda hope the dubs figure out some way to add Brogdon. So NY should sign Simmons.
The 14th spot could go to Diawara. One of their other options just got injured in EuroBasket and would be out for at least six months even if he were to get out of his Euroleague contract. After that, without making any cap relief moves, I don’t know if they could even offer a 10-day contract to a 15th man at any point this season.
Rokas Jokubaitis was never a consideration to come over. On top of him signing a 3-year contract last month (and playing the same position as Brunson/Kolek), he’s a starter level player in Euroleague.
Much like say, Vasa Micic (or you may recall the Knicks’ dalliances into Luca Vildoza), he’s good enough a team would need to pay him in excess of the minimum to get him to come over.
Projects like Diawara and Nnaji are the Knicks considerations for the final roster spot BECAUSE they’re significantly less established. They’re both backups in Europe and there’s little difference between that and being a 14th man in the NBA.
Rokas not that good bro. If he was he would be in the league and they trade Kolek. Not sure he will ever make the league. He is a decent player but a 3rd string like Kolek. Unless Kolek shows something in the preseason I would move on. No need for a 3rd string guard right now. We need someone who can help with injurys
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