New York Knicks (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Last season, the New York Knicks had their first season in nearly a decade that can be defined as successful. Despite entering the season projected to win no more than 24 games, they finished the season with a 41-31 record and ended their eight-year playoff drought.
It’s important for the Knicks front office to understand that while it’s important to build off of last season’s success, they overachieved. Yes, they made the playoffs, but that was largely due to all the injuries and time missed due to covid-19 protocols that teams like the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, and Chicago Bulls dealt with. Had this been a normal season, the Knicks would have likely been in the play-in tournament at best.
As long as the front office doesn’t get ahead of themselves and try to speed up the timeline, this Knicks team will be just fine and should be true title contenders in two to three seasons.
The New York Knicks have the most money to spend this offseason with approximately $54 million in cap space, and they intend to spend it wisely.
The Knicks added some much-needed shooting in the draft when they selected Quentin Grimes with the 25th overall pick. They then added some defense and play-making in the second round when they selected Miles McBride, Jericho Sims, and Rokas Jokubaitis.
Now that the draft is behind us and free agency is about to get underway, these next few weeks will be crucial in determining the team’s future success. The Knicks have the most money out of any team to spend this off-season with approximately $54 million in cap space, and they intend to spend it wisely.
This isn’t a star-studded free agency class, but there are some quality free agents on the market. In particular, there are some really good restricted free agents that can help the Knicks move the needle and take another step forward in the rebuild. Let’s explore some restricted free agents the Knicks should target and have a realistic chance at acquiring.
free agency is about to get underway</a>, these next few weeks will be crucial in determining the team’s future success. The Knicks have the most money out of any team to spend this off-season with approximately $54 million in cap space, and they intend to spend it wisely.</p>
<p>This isn’t a star-studded free agency class, but there are some quality free agents on the market. In particular, there are some really good restricted free agents that can help the Knicks move the needle and take another step forward in the rebuild. Let’s explore some restricted free agents the Knicks should target and have a realistic chance at acquiring.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/02/new-york-knicks-5-restricted-free-agents/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Restricted free agent target No.1 </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-433810" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/02/new-york-knicks-5-restricted-free-agents/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1065,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1317368771.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1065" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1317368771.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1317368771-768x511.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">New York Knicks (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Restricted free-agent target for the New York Knicks: 1. Lonzo Ball</h2>
<p>Lonzo Ball would be a great addition to the Knicks. Listed at 6’6” with a 6’9” wingspan, he’s a versatile defender who can guard one through three and plays the passing lanes extremely well. He’s great in the pick and roll and is at his best in transition.</p>
<p>Most importantly, after retooling his jump shot, he’s become a better 3-point shooter. He shot 37.8 percent from behind the arc last season, and he shot 37.5 percent the year before. He also improved his free throw percentage last season, shooting a career-high 78.1 percent.</p>
<p>Ball will fit in perfectly with a Knicks team that emphasizes defense and ball movement. His ability to push the pace in transition and find the open man will do wonders for a team that ranked dead last in pace as well as fast-break points per game.</p>
<p>Just stop for a second and picture Ball throwing a fast-break alley-oop to RJ Barrett or Julius Randle. How smooth the pick-and-roll game with him and Mitchell Robinson will be. How exciting does that sound? Nabbing Ball in free agency would send a jolt of energy and excitement through the organization and the fan base.</p>
<p>The Knicks may have to offer Ball more than they would like to discourage the New Orleans Pelicans from matching the offer sheet, but he may very well be worth the price tag. With the most cap space of any team entering free agency, the Knicks can very well afford to throw the bag at Lonzo and still acquire some of their other targets.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/02/new-york-knicks-5-restricted-free-agents/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Restricted free agent target No.2 </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-422910" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/02/new-york-knicks-5-restricted-free-agents/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1294653680.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1294653680.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1294653680-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px" /><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">New York Knicks (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Restricted free-agent target for the New York Knicks: 2. Kendrick Nunn</h2>
<p>Kendrick Nunn is a talented scorer, but the problem is he doesn’t believe that any shot he takes is a bad shot. He has a bad habit of playing with tunnel vision and will pull up from anywhere without hesitation, and that can be frustrating at times, but when he’s in the zone, he’s very tough to stop. However, it is worth noting that he improved his field goal percentage last season and shot nearly 50 percent from the field on 11.8 attempts per game.</p>
<p>He’s terrific in transition and moves well without the ball in half-court sets. According to Synergy Sports, Nunn ranked in the 88th percentile as a spot-up shooter last season, averaging 1.216 points per possession and shooting 44.9 percent on such attempts.</p>
<p>The 6’2 combo guard averaged 14.6 points per game last season while posting respectable shooting splits of .485/.381/.933. The surge in his free throw percentage should be taken with a grain of salt as he only attempted 1.1 free throws per game.</p>
<p>Nunn can be a spark plug off the bench, filling the role left behind by Alec Burks if the Knicks choose not to bring him back, and he can also fill in as a spot starter if need be.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/02/new-york-knicks-5-restricted-free-agents/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Restricted free agent target No.3 </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-422464" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/02/new-york-knicks-5-restricted-free-agents/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1299880488-1.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1299880488-1.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1299880488-1-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">New York Knicks (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Restricted free-agent target for the New York Knicks: 3. Malik Monk</h2>
<p>Malik Monk has dealt with a lot of adversity and some off-court issues since entering the NBA, but he seemed to turn a corner last season. He didn’t get into any trouble, and despite dealing with nagging injuries and receiving erratic playing time, he had the most productive season of his career.</p>
<p>He has been linked to the Knicks in trade rumors for the last couple of seasons, so it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if Leon Rose reached out to Monk’s representatives for a meeting. Due to the aforementioned off-court concerns, there may not be much of a market for Monk, which would play into the Knicks’ hands and increase the likelihood of signing him to a team-friendly contract.</p>
<p>He averaged 11.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 42 games off the bench for the Charlotte Hornets. And with improved shot selection, he shot 40.1 percent from 3-point land.</p>
<p>He’s only 23 years old and a very talented scorer and 3-point shooter, and signing him could prove to be a low-risk, high-reward move for a Knicks team that desperately needs to add shooting and fortify its bench scoring.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/02/new-york-knicks-5-restricted-free-agents/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Restricted free agent target No.4 </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-428782" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/02/new-york-knicks-5-restricted-free-agents/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1313155580.jpeg" alt="Miami Heat" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1313155580.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1313155580-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px" /><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">New York Knicks (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Restricted free-agent target for the New York Knicks: 4. Duncan Robinson</h2>
<p>Over the last two seasons, Duncan Robinson has emerged as one of the league’s biggest perimeter threats and elite snipers, averaging over three 3-pointers per game during that span. He started all 72 games for the Miami Heat last season and converted at least one of his 3-point attempts in all but one game.</p>
<p>During the 2019-20 season, he led the league, shooting 45.9 percent on catch and shoot 3-pointers (minimum six attempts per game) and followed that up by shooting 41.6 percent on catch and shoot 3-pointers last season.</p>
<p>He improved on the defensive end as well last season. During the 2020 playoffs, he got played off the floor multiple times due to his inability to keep his matchup in front of him and the opposition’s propensity to target him on defense. He wasn’t an otherworldly or even an All-Defensive caliber player on that end of the floor, but he was no longer the defensive liability he was in the past.</p>
<p>The Knicks need shooting and perimeter scoring, and Robinson is one of the best in the game in that aspect. He possesses pristine footwork and is one of the better players at moving without the ball and finding an open spot on the court. Adding him to the starting lineup would open up the floor and create driving lanes for RJ Barrett and Julius Randle.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/02/new-york-knicks-5-restricted-free-agents/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Restricted free agent target No.5 </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-412360" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/08/02/new-york-knicks-5-restricted-free-agents/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2066,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1197977901.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2066" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1197977901.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1197977901-768x496.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px" /><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">New York Knicks (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Restricted free-agent target for the New York Knicks: 5. Lauri Markkanen</h2>
<p>The Chicago Bulls elected not to offer Lauri Markkanen a contract extension in large part due to his inability to stay on the court and his inconsistencies on offense when he is healthy. After a promising first two seasons in which the former seventh overall pick averaged 16.7 points and 8.2 rebounds while shooting 36.2 percent from the perimeter and 85.9 percent from the charity stripe, Markkanen has regressed the last couple of years.</p>
<p>Last season he posted career lows across the board, averaging 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 25.8 minutes per game. But he did post impressive shooting splits with a career-high 40.2 percent on 3-pointers and 48 percent overall.</p>
<p>Then there are the health concerns. He’s dealt with a litany of injuries in his young career, highlighted by a sprained elbow that cost him nearly half of the 2018-19 season. Markkanen has missed 80 of 301 possible games, including 21 games he didn’t suit up for last season due to various ailments, as well as being placed in the league’s health and safety protocols.</p>
<p>Still, he’s only 24 years old and possesses a highly sought-after modern skillset with his ability to create his own shot and stretch the floor at seven feet tall. He’s also a solid rebounder when healthy and engaged. He won’t give you much in the way of defense, but he provides the Knicks with shooting, shot-creating, rebounding, and front-court depth.</p>
<p>Although they made a qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent, he seems to have fallen out of favor with the Bulls, and it’s not very likely they match an offer sheet. It’s more likely they extended the qualifying offer in hopes of working out a sign-and-trade with one of Markkanen’s suitors.</p>
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