Knicks Minimum Contracts to Pursue as Late NBA Free Agency Steals
The 2022 NBA offseason could be one to remember for the New York Knicks.
They already inked Jalen Brunson to a big deal and potentially plugged a hole at point guard they've been trying to fill for years. They've been heavily connected to the Donovan Mitchell trade talks, as a deal could deliver the franchise its first star since Carmelo Anthony.
The following three players aren't on that level, but they could make a ton of sense on minimum contracts.
Carmelo Anthony
The Knicks need more offensive firepower, and they have a chance to find that from a familiar face.
Reuniting with Anthony would obviously be a massive win in the nostalgia department, but there are basketball reasons to bring back the 10-time All-Star, too.
His jumper is as wet as ever (2.2 triples per game at a 37.5 percent clip this past season), and New York should be in the market for spacers. The Knicks start a non-shooter at center (Mitchell Robinson), and their top two scorers operate best inside the arc (Julius Randle and RJ Barrett). Anthony's stroke could allow this attack to breathe.
He can still generate his own scoring chances in a pinch, too, at least against bench defenses. He wouldn't be the focal point for the reserve unit, but he could handle that role on his hot nights.
Josh Jackson
New York has myriad options in the backcourt and at the center spot, but the wings could use some attention.
A defensive-minded wing like Josh Jackson would have a chance to carve out a regular rotation role.
The No. 4 pick of the 2017 draft, Jackson has never quite figured out how to make the most of his physical gifts, but his length and athleticism can shine even without that final coat of polish. He's a highlight waiting to happen, and he can help shift momentum with rim-rocking jams or high-flying rejections.
It's probably wishful thinking to hope his shot ever comes around, but it's at least worth noting his free-throw percentage has increased in three of the pas
Tony Snell
If Tony Snell doesn't get you excited, then this is the point where we remind you excitement isn't often found in free agency's clearance bin.
The best hope is to find a capable role player, and Snell could work in the right niche.
He is primarily a perimeter shooter, and he is good-to-great in that role. He has buried more than 700 threes in his career and hit them at a 39.4 percent clip.
While that's his calling card, he offers just enough defensively to be labeled more as a three-and-D wing than an outright shooting specialist.