Of the four Knicks veterans with $1MM partial guarantees on their contracts for 2020/21, none has a more modest overall salary than Reggie Bullock ($4.2MM). Given that manageable cap hit, the club will likely pick up Bullock’s “option” rather than waiving him before his salary guarantee date, a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post.
As Berman explains, interim head coach Mike Miller “fell in love” with Bullock’s basketball IQ, perimeter defense, and outside shooting, sticking with the veteran even when fans wanted him to pivot to giving younger players more minutes.
The Knicks will likely hire a new head coach at season’s end and there’s no guarantee that Miller’s replacement will be as attached to Bullock. However, $4.2MM is a pretty fair price to pay for a 29-year-old three-and-D wing and the team will be seeking shooters and “solid veteran influences” for next year’s roster, according to Berman, who notes that Bullock had a positive impact on younger Knicks like RJ Barrett.
Taj Gibson ($9.45MM), Wayne Ellington ($8MM), and Elfrid Payton ($8MM) each have $1MM partial guarantees on their salaries for 2020/21 as well, and Bobby Portis ($15.75MM) has a team option. New York figures to move on from one or more of those players, particularly if the team wants to make use of cap space during the 2020 offseason.
Payton is the starting PG. Going nowhere. Knicks draft Halliburton. Payton eventually can be the backup. Ellington n Portis are overpaid. So they have to go. Taj is solid backup big. Need to get Trier back in rotation. Trade DSJ, Nttilikina and Knox.
Trier and Dotson need back in rotation
Among the optionees, the Knicks will almost certainly keep Bullock unless a medical issue resurfaces. Gibson too, who I think will finish his career here on reasonable deals. Payton is a possibility. Harkless isn’t an optionee, but I’d be very open to his return if he is. All 4 are good defenders, and, with Barrett and Robinson, and can give the team an identity. Portis and Ellington, hopefully not.
The key to their rebuild is now whether they can move Randle, or the FO gives the go ahead to bring him off the bench. He’s not a starter, but, more importantly, he keeps Robinson from starter minutes.