We’re not sure exactly when the 2020 NBA offseason will happen, but when it does, Christian Wood is among the free agents expected to be of interest to the Knicks. According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, some members of New York’s front office are “enamored” with the Pistons‘ big man.
Begley’s report doesn’t make it clear whether those members of the Knicks’ front office who like Wood will all remain involved in basketball decision-making going forward. A source tells Begley that the Knicks have been monitoring Wood for much of the 2019/20 season, which suggests the team had its eye on him before Leon Rose was hired as president of basketball operations. Rose is expected to make some changes to the front office now that he has officially taken over, and it’s possible the new executives will zero in on different players.
Still, assuming the Knicks create a good chunk of cap room by turning down team options and waiving a handful of players with non-guaranteed 2020/21 salaries, Wood might make sense as a target. The 24-year-old, one of three NBA players who has tested positive for the coronavirus, is in the midst of a career year, with 13.1 PPG and 6.3 RPG in 62 games (21.4 MPG).
Wood has been particularly effective since Andre Drummond was moved at the trade deadline, averaging 22.8 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 2.0 APG with a .562/.400/.757 shooting line in his last 13 games.
As Begley points out, Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson, and Maurice Harkless are among the players who aren’t locks to return to New York next season, to the club could have some minutes to fill at the four and five. Wood’s age would also line up well with the Knicks’ rebuilding timeline.
The Pistons, who will hold Wood’s Early Bird rights, are expected to make an effort to lock him up when he reaches free agency, and he has expressed interest in re-signing with the team that gave him an opportunity to play.
ALL the C/PFs!
who needs positions when you can have 5 pf’s that all play the exact same way so they get confused like when lions look at a Zebra
I laughed a lot harder than I should have at that comment.
The knicks were way ahead of everybody with their coronaviris response, hoarding all the pf’s before we knew what they were up to.
Potentially could be a good line up. Robinson at 5, Wood at the 4, Knox at 3, RJ at 2 and hopefully they get lucky and find a point guard either Ball from draft or someone else.
Is it just me or does that lineup look like a perfect 11 seed in the East?
Ball will be a bust.. Me first, injury prone.. no work ethic players typically flame out in nba. Lonzo could be so much more if he worked on his game.. he seems more interested in playing video games, rapping and eating twizzlers
Knox at the 3? Seriously?
Until something changes, he’s barely worth a bench spot right now. Wouldn’t surprise me if he is out of the league in a few years.
A player being reported as a potential offseason target for the Knicks is rapidly becoming an assurance that he won’t sign with the Knicks…
11 seed LoL. Love it.
I think the Knicks sign Wood, keep all of their impending frontcourt FA’s and look to add Ibaka, Gasol and anyone else who stands over 6’8” and plays the 4 or 5. Maybe even trade RJ for someone like Nik Vucevic to bolster that frontcourt.
Can’t have enough big men in today’s NBA! Please, let Rose finally be the guy that Dolan leaves alone to turn around the team (doubt it, but can wish).
Sign all of giannis’ brothers, promise them starting minutes, lure giannis there, and sign that rick pitino guy from greece to help coach.
That guy from Greece just took the job at iona
“that Rick Pitino guy” ROFL..
He’s having a career yr. Portis, Taj, Ellington can all be let go. Wood would be a nice pickup. Harkless also will be let go. Probably sign for a lot less. I doubt Pistons let him walk.