Schmeelk: A Look At Free Agent Options At Guard For Knicks
By John Schmeelk
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On Wednesday, we discussed the center free agent class, and concluded spending anywhere from $8 million to $12 million on a center would make sense and leave the team with anywhere between $18 million to $22 million to spend on a shooting guard and backup point guard.
Given Derrick Rose's health issues and minute limitations, finding a good backup point guard is a must. With Langston Galloway (early bird free agent) and Justin Holiday the only other guards on the roster, finding a starting shooting guard is even more important. (With the rumored Noah signing for upwards of $18 million to $20 million a year, it looks like the Knicks don't agree, but this is my plan and not theirs.)
The Knicks' two priorities with their two guard needs should be defense and shooting. With Rose struggling with his shot and playing very little defense, the Knicks need a guard to defend the opponent's best player and stretch the floor to hit the open 3. There aren't many 3-and-D players that fit that description on the free agent market.
Toronto's DeMar DeRozan is the cream of the crop, but he will demand a full max contract and fall out of the Knicks' price range. Washington's Bradley Beal, as a restricted free agent, will likely do the same. Charlotte's Nicolas Batum would be a perfect fit with his skill set, but he will cost too much. If the team wants any money for a center and backup point guard, none of these players are real options. It's the same deal with Dwyane Wade, who will want to be paid if he leaves Miami.
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Before the Rose trade, Evan Fournier could have been an option, but not anymore. He doesn't defend enough, needs the ball in his hands, and since the Magic traded Victor Oladipo, they will likely match any contract offer for their restricted free agent.
Jordan Clarkson is restricted as well, and with all their cap space, it would probably take an over-the-top offer to get him to leave the Lakers. Whether he is worth that money after putting up numbers on a bad team is a worthy debate as well.
The Clippers' Jamal Crawford, a former Knick, can still score, but he doesn't play a lick of defense. He's also old. Put San Antonio's Kevin Martin in that same category. Pass. And Cleveland's J.R. Smith is a free agent, too!
New Orleans' Eric Gordon is always hurt. (But wouldn't it be perfect to pair Rose with Gordon and Noah? The team would lead the league in games missed due to injury.) The Thunder's Dion Waiters is restricted and too inconsistent, while Memphis' Lance Stephenson is too much of a wild card. The Trail Blazers' Gerald Henderson is a low-cost option, but he isn't good enough to be a starting shooting guard in the league anymore. A backup? Sure.
The Hornets' Courtney Lee is someone the Knicks can look at as a short-term fix. He is 31, shouldn't cost a ton, plays good defense and shot 39 percent from 3-point range last year. He would probably eat up $8 million to $12 million dollars worth of cap space, leaving plenty of money left over for a backup point guard. He can play off the ball and would fit in well with what the team does. If the Knicks sign a big-money center, this makes even more sense.
Boston's Evan Turner is another interesting option, though with the addition of Rose, his ball-handling and distribution skills aren't as needed. He does defend well, but his lack of shooting would be deadly in the same lineup as Rose (and theoretically Noah).
That leaves two players who should peak the Knicks' interest: Atlanta's Kent Bazemore and Portland's Allen Crabbe. Both players are coming off their rookie contracts and are improving. Crabbe is a restricted free agent, which will make getting him a lot tougher to do. Last year, Crabbe stepped into a bigger role and thrived, scoring 10 points per game and shooting 39 percent from behind the arc. He was the best backcourt defender on the Blazers' roster. There is risk here, though, since Portland was better with Crabbe on the bench.
Bazemore is an unrestricted free agent, coming out of his fourth NBA season, in which he scored just under 12 points per game and shot 36 percent from 3. He is a good perimeter wing defender and has the chip on his shoulder you would expect from an undrafted free agent. He will be highly sought after on the free agent market.
Both of these players will cost in the eight-figure range and could get up past $15 million depending on what the market looks like. There should be enough money left for a backup point guard, but funds and flexibility might be limited.
The point guard market is shallow, one of the reasons the Knicks decided to trade for Rose. All the top guys will likely cost too much money, and that includes the likes of Charlotte's Jeremy Lin and Orlando's Brandon Jennings.
The Knicks should be looking for a defensively capable point guard. The Cavs' Matthew Dellavedo fits that description, as does Memphis' Mario Chalmers (assuming his recovery from an Achilles injury is progressing). These would be lower-cost players the Knicks could squeeze into a small salary hole. The Warriors' Leandro Barbosa could be an option here, too, but he doesn't play much defense.
I know what Knicks fans are thinking: "We have $30 million in cap space and all we're getting are Zaza Pachulia, Kent Bazemore and Matthew Dellavedova? Joakim Noah, Courtney Lee and Mario Chalmers? That's impossible!"
Welcome to the new NBA free agent market. The Knicks can try to get one of the top players at one of their positions of need, but that means not filling any of the other holes on the roster. Given that they have only a handful of players under contract, they don't have much of a choice but to spread the money around.
Everything starts at 12:01 a.m. Friday, when the Knicks have a chance to mold the team for the next few seasons. The decisions will determine the future, near and distant. The Knicks need to do this right. They can't afford any more offseasons of mistakes.
For all things Knicks, please follow John on Twitter at @Schmeelk
