The Knicks will do their homework on Kevin Durant before committing to a max offer, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The team will request access to Durant’s medical records and will evaluate his long-term chances for a full recovery from the ruptured Achilles he suffered in the NBA Finals.
New York’s front office recognizes that Durant will be 32 by the time he can play again in 2020/21 and may be dealing with a “load management” situation that will limit both the number of games he can play and his minutes in each one.
Sources tell Berman that the Knicks believe they’re still in the running for Kawhi Leonard, even though he seems more likely to stay in Toronto or go to one of the Los Angeles teams, and Kyrie Irving, who is rumored to be headed to Brooklyn.
There’s more from New York City:
- After agreeing to sign UCLA forward Kris Wilkes to a two-way contract, GM Scott Perry said the team never expected him to be available, Berman relays in a separate story. Wilkes was projected as a second-round pick after leading the Bruins in scoring at 17.4 points per game. “Kind of surprised (Wilkes) didn’t get drafted, similar to Allonzo Trier last year,’’ Perry said. “Winning player, can score, 6-8, highly rated player coming out of high school. Exciting to add him to our mix and see how we can develop him.”
- The Knicks were convinced about taking R.J. Barrett with the No. 3 pick, even though they worked out Darius Garland and Coby White shortly before the draft, relays Ian Begley of SNY.TV. Perry explained that the team was taking advantage of having the players in town. “You want to get a chance to see as many prospects as you can,” he said. “Learn more about them, learn their stories. Also further evaluate, you dot your final I’s and crossing the final T’s. So that’s what went into our thinking.”
- Tyler Cavanaugh, who spent this season on a two-way contract with the Jazz, will join the Knicks’ Summer League team, tweets Eric Woodyard of The Deseret News. The 25-year-old power forward got into just 11 NBA games during the year, spending most of his time in the G League. He played 39 games for the Hawks in 2017/18, starting on a two-way deal before earning a standard contract.
No paper work will tell them anything about the future. Either happens or it doesn’t
They’re just being proactive in knowing Durant (nor Kyrie, nor ANYbody) isn’t coming to NY and trying to make it seem like they declined him instead of the other way around.
Going to lay this out for all the New York Knicks fans. If they can land Kevin Durrant and that is a big if this could be an off-season Knicks fans will never forget. But, if they swing and miss on Kevin Durant odds are they will not land any big free agents.
Let’s assume that they land KD. Why would any reputable free agent sign with the Knicks this summer unless they are overpaid to finish last? Has there ever been a similar signing?
let Durant go to the Nets, that contract will be an albatross
All these narratives and thinkpieces and articles about all these superstars playing for the Knicks, but the Knicks are still owned by a rotten imbecile who will no doubt make their time in NY an actual hell.
Explain why anyone would want to join the Knicks right now, from a players perspective, and don’t say “money” because playing for Dolan is much worse than making the max AND you have zero chance of winning a title and a 99% certainty that something will happen to make the fanbase hate you to oblivion.
If anything the NBA should contract the Knicks, not act like they’re some power franchise like they ALWAYS do.
Playing on 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY, 10001 makes them “some power franchise”
Just the reality of the world we live in. You’re just gonna have to deal with that lol
How exactly does playing for Dolan prevent professions from hitting open shots? Perry is a qualified coach and fizdale has the support of folks like Lebron. Steinbrenner and Mark Cuban were hated until they started winning. Please list at least one thing Dolan has done to ruin the Knicks.
Treated like a common street thug. Total BS. Oak is my fav Knick ever! To hell with Dolan!
What’s Dolan done to make any player’s tenure an ” actual he’ll” aside from perhaps poor hiring front office record and not winning? Please be specific.
Owners have almost no impact on the players, and Dolan is basically an absentee owner at this point. The only thing a player cares about regarding the owner is that he’ll write checks to support a winner. Dolan has proven as willing as any.
The draw? If you don’t understand the unique connection that NYC and MSG have with basketball, professional basketball in particular, then there’s little I can say that would register with you.
Then why is there a new owner in LAC? If ownership has no impact the league would’nt have forced a sale. Dolan is only around still bc he hasn’t been forced out for a PR reason. He is 100% incompetent just like PHXs Sarver.
I said almost no impact on the players. Players care about FO competence, not the owner’s competence (unless he acts as GM or the like). They only care that the owner will spend money (these days, the luxury tax, if necessary). Of course a bad owner will usually hire a bad FO, but that doesn’t mean players care about who the owner is.
Sterling proves my point. Before his “PR problem”, his only negative to players was that he was cheap. Once he indicated he would and did spend, he got top players to come there. Reason was simple: As long as we like the FO and HC, and owner cuts the checks, who cares about him.
Dolan hasn’t had the kind of PR gaps that players really care about. And his willingness to spend has been unmatched. He’s hurt the team in the past by injecting himself into BB matters, but that was awhile ago. If players are sold on the Stooges, Dolan is a positive (since he’ll write any check).
Winning player and Wilkie’s shouldn’t be in the same sentence. He was a decent player. But if I’m correct didn’t see alot of UCLA games because how bad they were. But Wilkie’s wasn’t that great at times
Wilkes could have been a decent player at UCLA, but he was lazy and a ball hog. He rarely showed up on the defensive end and never saw a shot he didn’t like. He is strictly G League material.
Knicks think they have a shot at Kawhi? Just like I have a shot at Rhianna.
Perhaps, but I doubt you’re getting a sit down with Rhianna.
So far, that isn’t the case for either of us. No news of a Kawhi NYK meeting. Sixers yes.
So far. KL is a quiet guy.
marc berman said it, so it’s true the knicks will do homework on kd – you and i know that’s bullshit fakenews as the entire league will have a max contract loaded with whatever kd wants.
Well, our host is half right on Kawhi and LA.
Good chance he goes to the Clippers.
BUT … if he didn’t want to be second banana to the King, he sure as héll doesn’t want to be third banana to him and AD. So, nope, not going to the LakeShow.
Why do people keep acting like they know what Kawhi wants? He left the Spurs where he could have the most money and the most obvious shot at being the #1 player. Now Toronto can offer him the most money and a clear #1 role. If he’s willing to leave both those situations then the traditional narrative doesn’t apply.
Every single team will offer KD as much as they can
Plan A (<10%): sign Kawhi. Then you have to make the team around him. So DON'T take the shot on KD and take good FA and next year sign AD (you think Lakers Will go so good?)
Plan B (60%): sign KD. Then use cap to take bad expiring contracts with sweeteners, like Marvin Williams, biyombo, mozgov, etc.
Next year nyk Will have another lottery + KD + cap space + picks sweeteners + cap space to take kawhi if he make (70%) a 1+1
Plan C (30%): nor KD or KL. the same on Plan B, without KD next year
Really simple
Plan A (<10%): sign Kawhi. Then you have to make the team around him. So DON'T take the shot on KD and take good FA and next year sign AD (you think Lakers Will go so good?)
Plan B (60%): sign KD. Then use cap to take bad expiring contracts with sweeteners, like Marvin Williams, biyombo, mozgov, etc.
Next year nyk Will have another lottery + KD + cap space + picks sweeteners + cap space to take kawhi if he make (70%) a 1+1
Plan C (30%): nor KD or KL. the same on Plan B, without KD next year
Really simple
It’s actually not really simple. Cap space doesn’t just roll over. Any chance of maintaining a second max spot for a year (after using one this year) would require signing only 1 year deals with other FAs (meaning you won’t get anyone good or a core guy going forward), a substantial salary cap increase (more than currently estimated), walking away from their young players who are RFAs (Trier/Dotson), and/or maybe trading their 1st round pick (or trading down out of the top 10 or so). Considering the number max FAs that actually move teams (very low, this year may be the exception), it will require a bunch of hard calls weighing risk/reward.
I can’t see the problem. You made 1 year deal, like last year with hezonja or vonleh. The cap itself Will increase.