- The Knicks are crossing their fingers that the Sixers will eventually implode and Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid will look to be dealt, Tim MacMahon of ESPN said on The Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to the New York Post’s Bridget Reilly). “They’re not hoping for patience, they’re hoping for The Process. I don’t know if that’s coming, but they’ve looked at that situation in Philly and there’s been a hope in New York that stuff in Philly will go haywire to the point where Embiid will ask out,” MacMahon said. “I don’t know the percentage odds on that, I would say they are slim, but that’s been the hope.”
Timberwolves All-Star guard Anthony Edwards and Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton are among the players who have committed to Team USA this summer, Joe Vardon and Shams Charania of The Athletic report. Team USA will compete for the FIBA World Cup in the Philippines.
Lakers shooting guard and restricted free agent Austin Reaves, Nets forward Mikal Bridges and Bucks forward Bobby Portis have also made commitments.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson has pledged to play for Team USA as well, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link).
The 12-man roster is still being assembled by USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill and no roster additions have been formally announced yet.
Edwards, who averaged 24.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists this season, was a member of the USA Select Team for the Tokyo Olympics. Team USA has begun to prioritize bigger guards who can hold their own defensively and shoot well from the perimeter in international competitions, according to The Athletic duo. Edwards and Reaves fit that mold.
Team USA begins training camp Aug. 3 in Las Vegas, plays its first exhibition game Aug. 7 against Puerto Rico and will also make stops in Spain and the United Arab Emirates before its World Cup opener Aug. 26 against New Zealand.
After making a huge jump in the standings by going 41-31 in 2020/21, the Knicks brought back largely the same group in ’21/22, but regressed significantly, posting a 37-45 record.
Entering the 2022 offseason in search of a backcourt upgrade, the team was heavily rumored to be considering two big moves: clearing cap room to sign Jalen Brunson away from Dallas, and putting together a mega-package to trade to Utah for Donovan Mitchell.
Ultimately, only one of those two rumored plans came to fruition, with the Knicks sacrificing some draft equity in order to clear the necessary cap room to sign Brunson to a four-year, $104MM contract. Despite weeks of reports linking Mitchell to New York, the All-Star guard was eventually sent to Cleveland instead.
While we can’t say with certainty whether the Knicks’ decision not to meet the Jazz’s lofty asking price for Mitchell was the right call, we can confidently declare the signing of Brunson a success. Given the keys to the Knicks’ offense, Brunson had an incredible first season with his new team, setting new career highs in points (24.0) and assists (6.2) per game, as well as three-point percentage (41.6%).
Buoyed by Brunson’s performance, an All-NBA bounce-back season from forward Julius Randle, and strong contributions from their supporting cast, the Knicks enjoyed a big bounce-back year themselves, winning 47 games (their highest total in a decade) and making the second round of the playoffs.
This still isn’t a championship-caliber roster, but the foundation is more stable than it was two years ago following the Knicks’ previous playoff appearance. And after not going all-in for Mitchell, the club still has plenty of trade assets on hand to continue its search for another star.
The Knicks’ Offseason Plan
All 15 of the players who finished the 2022/23 season with the Knicks are under contract – or at least have an option – for ’23/24, with none of them currently on track for unrestricted or restricted free agency. However, that doesn’t mean the front office can rest on its laurels this offseason.
For starters, Josh Hart is unlikely to exercise his $13MM player option, since he’ll have no problem matching – and likely exceeding – that salary on a new contract that covers multiple years. Turning down that option will make Hart an unrestricted free agent and there will be no shortage of teams with interest in the versatile wing.
As popular as Hart would be on the open market, reports have indicated there’s widespread pessimism among rival suitors about their ability to pry him away from New York. The Knicks gave up their first-round pick in February to acquire Hart, who immediately became a favorite of head coach Tom Thibodeau and seemed to love playing in the Big Apple alongside Brunson, his former college teammate.
Because Hart won’t be restricted, New York won’t technically control his free agency, but it would be a surprise if he doesn’t re-sign with the team, perhaps on a three- or four-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $15-18MM per season.
The Knicks hold team options on two guards, Derrick Rose ($15.6MM) and Miles McBride ($1.8MM). McBride is a good value on his minimum-salary deal and should have his option exercised, but Rose fell out of New York’s rotation last season and spent most of the season serving as a veteran mentor on the sidelines.
Unless there’s a scenario in which his salary is required in a trade for matching purposes, the Knicks will decline Rose’s option, but that doesn’t rule out the possibility that he’ll be back with the team on a minimum-salary contract. Thibodeau and the Knicks clearly value the former MVP’s influence in the locker room and on the bench, having opted to keep him on the roster all season rather than buying him out after the trade deadline. There’s a path for the relationship to continue unless Rose wants to seek more playing time elsewhere.
DaQuan Jeffries and Isaiah Roby have non-guaranteed minimum salaries for 2023/24 and may not be back, especially if the Knicks need to open up their roster spots for newcomers.
New York doesn’t control any 2023 draft picks, but the team should have the cap flexibility necessary to use the full mid-level exception and/or bi-annual exception to go shopping for another rotation piece in free agency.
Any significant roster changes for the Knicks, however, would likely occur on the trade market. Evan Fournier‘s pseudo-expiring $18.9MM contract (he has a 2024/25 team option that won’t be exercised) makes an ideal salary-matching starting point for any package, though no Knick – with the possible exception of Brunson – is likely to be off the table.
New York is also armed with young talent like Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Obi Toppin, and has an excess of future first-round picks, including protected 2024 selections from Dallas, Detroit, and Washington, as well as the Bucks’ 2025 first-rounder (top-four protected). The pieces are there to put together a pretty compelling package for any star player that becomes available this summer.
The real question is whether the stars who might be available in the short term are ones the Knicks would be eager to consolidate their assets for.
There has been constant trade speculation about Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, who was once viewed as ideal fit for New York. But Lillard will turn 33 this year, is on a massive super-max contract, and doesn’t make as much sense as a Knicks target now that Brunson is in the picture.
Karl-Anthony Towns‘ name has come up frequently as a possible option, but even if the Timberwolves were willing to move him, would Towns would be the right star for the Knicks? The 27-year-old big man has made a few All-Star teams and is a talented scorer, but he’s not a great defender and has won just four total playoff games (across three appearances) since arriving in Minnesota in 2016.
The Raptors could be willing to listen on Pascal Siakam this summer, but the Knicks already have an All-NBA power forward in Randle, whose substantial role has made it tricky to find playing time for Toppin, a former lottery pick. Siakam is a great player, but he’s probably not a big enough upgrade on Randle to really move the needle for the Knicks — and if the team were to acquire him without moving Randle, it’s unclear that the two power forwards could thrive alongside one another.
There are potential trade targets who are capable of being difference-makers for the Knicks. Joel Embiid would be one. Jaylen Brown might be another. But players like that seem unlikely to be available this offseason (and if we’re looking at those two stars specifically, it’s worth noting that it might be a challenge to negotiate a deal with a division rival).
You can count on Leon Rose and the front office to keep a close eye on the trade market this offseason to see if any impact players who fit the current roster will shake loose. But if the right players aren’t available, the prudent move for the Knicks would be continue to exercise patience, jumping on opportunities to keep adding quality players at a good price when they come along, like they did with Brunson and Hart.
That approach may not be popular among fans and league observers eager to see the Knicks make a splash, but going all-in on the wrong player who would be harder to come back from than waiting a little longer to see if better opportunities emerge.
Salary Cap Situation
Guaranteed Salary
Julius Randle ($28,226,880)- Jalen Brunson ($26,346,666)
- RJ Barrett ($23,883,929)
- Evan Fournier ($18,857,143)
- Mitchell Robinson ($15,681,818)
- Isaiah Hartenstein ($9,245,121)
- Obi Toppin ($6,803,012)
- Immanuel Quickley ($4,171,548)
- Quentin Grimes ($2,385,720)
- Jericho Sims ($600,000)
- Note: Partial guarantee. Rest of salary noted below.
- Total: $136,201,837
Dead/Retained Salary
- None
Player Options
- Josh Hart ($12,960,000): Bird rights
- Note: If Hart picks up his player option, his salary would remain non-guaranteed until June 25.
- Total: $12,960,000
Team Options
- Derrick Rose ($15,596,339): Bird rights
- Miles McBride ($1,836,096): Early Bird rights
- Total: $17,432,435
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- DaQuan Jeffries ($2,066,585)
- Isaiah Roby ($2,066,585)
- Jericho Sims ($1,327,896)
- Note: Partial guarantee. Sims would receive another $600K in guaranteed money if he’s not waived on or before July 16 and would have his salary fully guaranteed if he’s not waived on or before August 16.
- Total: $5,461,066
Restricted Free Agents
- None
Two-Way Free Agents
Draft Picks
- None
Extension-Eligible Players
- Evan Fournier (veteran)
- Josh Hart (veteran)
- Derrick Rose (veteran)
- Immanuel Quickley (rookie scale)
- Obi Toppin (rookie scale)
Note: These are players who are either already eligible for an extension or will become eligible before the 2023/24 season begins. Hart would only be eligible if he picks up his player option; Rose would only be eligible if the Knicks pick up his option.
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- None
Cap Exceptions Available
- Mid-level exception: $12,220,600
- Bi-annual exception: $4,448,000
Note: The Knicks would lose access to the full mid-level exception and the bi-annual exception if their team salary surpasses the tax apron.
Knicks forward Julius Randle underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle on Friday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports that the procedure was successful.
Randle will resume basketball activities later in the offseason and is expected to be ready to go for training camp and the beginning of the regular season this fall, sources tell Wojnarowski.
A left ankle sprain cost Randle the final two weeks of the regular season. He returned for the start of the playoffs, but sprained the ankle again in Game 5 of the Knicks’ first-round series vs. Cleveland.
Although he was able to play through the injury, suiting up for all but one game in New York’s second-round series against the Heat, Randle became aware during the postseason that he’d probably require surgery on the ankle, writes Wojnarowski.
Randle, 28, earned his second All-Star nod in 2022/23, averaging a career-best 25.1 points per game to go along with 10.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 77 appearances (35.5 MPG). His production declined significantly in the playoffs, where he averaged just 16.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 3.6 APG on .374/.258/.709 shooting, though it’s safe to assume that drop-off can be attributed at least in part to his ankle problems.
Randle has been mentioned as a possible offseason trade candidate, but will continue to be a major part of the Knicks’ game plan in 2023/24 if he remains on the roster. He’s under contract for at least two more years, with a player option for ’25/26. He’ll earn approximately $28.2MM next season and $30.3MM in ’24/25.
Following the NCAA’s early entrant withdrawal deadline Wednesday night, Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com updated his top-100 prospects list, adding 17 players based on who remains eligible.
Three players at three different positions — Duke center Dereck Lively II, Metropolitans 92 wing Bilal Coulibaly, and Santa Clara guard Brandin Podziemski — have seen their stock go up over the past few months.
Lively, who was ranked No. 25 on ESPN’s list on May 20, is up to No. 12 overall and goes 14th overall in Givony’s updated 2023 mock draft with Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link). Lively is picked 12th overall in Jonathan Wasserman’s latest mock for Bleacher Report.
A former top high school recruit, Lively had a very narrow offensive role for the Blue Devils, attempting just 3.4 field goals (65.8 FG%) per game and averaging 5.2 points in 34 contests (27 starts, 20.6 minutes). However, he’s an active 7’1″ center who averaged 2.4 blocks as well, making him one of the top rim protectors in a class without many true big men beyond Victor Wembanyama. Lively also impressed during his pro day, per ESPN and Bleacher Report.
Coulibaly is Wembanyama’s teammate with French club Metropolitans 92, and he’s one of the youngest early entrants. Coulibaly, who turns 19 in late July, is considered a strong athlete who has two-way potential, according to Wasserman, who says there are rumors the guard/forward might have a lottery promise, with teams in the late lottery showing interest (he has Coulibaly going 13th to the Raptors).
Coulibaly’s range might be a bit wider than that though — he goes 21st in ESPN’s mock and is ranked No. 22 on their board. Woo writes that Coulibaly has shown flashes, but it’s a small sample size and he has improved his stock by helping the team win in France’s LNB Pro A, as opposed to private and public workouts for college prospects. Coulibaly was No. 26 on ESPN’s list when he declared as an early entrant in April, so he has improved either way.
Lastly, Podziemski was No. 39 on ESPN when he declared in late March (No. 20 at Bleacher Report). He’s up to No. 27 overall at ESPN now thanks to a strong combine appearance, while Wasserman reports that the Rockets (No. 20) like the combo guard’s “creativity, shot-making and playmaking.” Wasserman says Podziemski could go as early as the late teens.
Here are a few more draft notes:
- Sources tell Wasserman that some members of the Hornets‘ front office view Brandon Miller as a “star wing.” That’s not exactly surprising, as he’s No. 2 prospect on both mock drafts now, but noteworthy that he goes before Scoot Henderson (No. 3).
- Wasserman has also heard from sources who say Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson, twin brothers from Overtime Elite, are both getting “heavy consideration” from the Rockets at No. 4. Although both Wasserman and Woo have Amen going to Houston, Woo notes that with rumors of James Harden possibly returning to the Rockets, it might not make sense for them to draft another guard.
- Washtington State guard Justin Powell has had workouts with the Knicks and Thunder, and has upcoming workouts with the Bulls, Cavaliers, Sixers and Hawks, tweets Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. Zagoria previously reported Powell had worked out for four other teams.
With general manager Scott Perry set to leave the Knicks later this summer, his replacement will likely come from within the organization if the position is filled at all, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Popper states that the team already has the structure in place to handle Perry’s job duties, and his role has been diminishing for more than a year.
Senior basketball consultant Gersson Rosas could be named the new GM if ownership wants to appoint someone, Popper adds. Rosas spent 16 years in the Rockets’ front office, followed by shorter stays as general manager of the Mavericks and president of basketball operations for the Timberwolves. He served as the primary contact as the Knicks negotiated a Donovan Mitchell trade with the Jazz last summer, according to Popper.
Perry’s contract is believed to run through August, but sources tell Popper that he’s already being left out of pre-draft workouts. Perry’s duties are being handled by assistant GMs Frank Zanin, who’s in charge of pro scouting, and Walt Perrin, who handles college scouting. Rosas is performing most of the GM work, so Popper believes giving him the title would just be “a formality.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks are in position to benefit from not paying a premium price to acquire Mitchell, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst states on his Hoop Collective podcast (video link). Windhorst notes that New York has the trade assets to pursue any star who becomes available this offseason, with a parcel of future draft picks and Evan Fournier‘s contract for salary-matching purposes.
- Reaching an extension with Tyrese Maxey should be a priority for the Sixers this summer, contends Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He notes that Maxey has been a bargain after being selected with the 21st pick and states that the Sixers shouldn’t gamble by letting him reach restricted free agency in 2024. Maxey is eligible for a five-year deal worth up to a projected $213MM.
- Grizzlies assistant Darko Rajakovic is still in the mix to be the Raptors‘ next head coach, tweets Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Rajakovic has been an assistant since 2014 and spent time with the Thunder and Suns as well.
- Raptors executive Masai Ujiri remains passionate about winning 10 years after joining the organization, per Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Smith also looks at Ujiri’s five best and worst moves over the past decade.
- Joe Mazzulla appears likely to return for another season as the Celtics‘ head coach, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
Knicks general manager Scott Perry will leave the organization once his contract expires this summer, Steve Popper of Newsday reports.
Perry joined New York’s front office in 2017. Current president of basketball operations Leon Rose, who was hired in 2020, gave him a contract extension two years ago.
However, Perry’s influence in the front office has waned as executive VP William Wesley and senior basketball consultant Gerrson Rosas have taken a bigger role in personnel moves.
Perry was instrumental in drafting RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson and signing Julius Randle as a free agent.
Perry has been a front office mainstay in the league since 2000, when he was hired by the Pistons. He was also an executive with Seattle in its last season before the franchise moved and had stints with Orlando and Sacramento. Before he was hired by the Knicks, Perry was part of the Kings group that drafted De’Aaron Fox.
Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com takes a look at what the Sixers are getting in new head coach Nick Nurse, who gained a reputation as a creative defensive strategist in Toronto. As Neubeck observes, the presence of Joel Embiid will give Nurse the sort of rim-protecting center he never really had with the Raptors, which should help alleviate the pressure on Philadelphia’s perimeter players.
Nurse also represents the Sixers’ first head coaching hire since Daryl Morey assumed control of the front office, and it’s perhaps no coincidence that Morey has a history with Nurse, having hired him as the head coach of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston’s G League affiliate) in 2011. While Morey and former head coach Doc Rivers weren’t necessarily a bad fit, there may be more shared views between Morey and Nurse, Neubeck writes.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Elsewhere on the Nurse front, Rich Hofmann of The Athletic wonders if Nurse will benefit from his familiarity with the Sixers, having faced them more than any other opponent while in Toronto. Meanwhile, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (via Twitter) that Nurse met with Embiid during the interview process, and says that meeting went well.
- This offseason could present a clear picture of how the Knicks and the rest of the NBA value Immanuel Quickley, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, who notes that the guard will be extension-eligible and could be discussed in trade talks again after being linked to the Donovan Mitchell rumors a year ago.
- Serbian center Nikola Milutinov has officially parted with CSKA Moscow and become a free agent, according to BasketNews.com. A first-round pick in 2015, Milutinov never signed an NBA contract, but his rights are still held by the Nets, so his free agency could have NBA implications. There has been no real indication that Brooklyn intends to bring him stateside though, so the 28-year-old may simply join another team in Europe.
Mikal Bridges has already been mentioned in several offseason trade rumors, but Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) believes the Nets intend to build around him rather than trying to deal him for other assets. Lewis states that Bridges has already become “the face of the franchise” and has strong support from owner Joe Tsai and general manager Sean Marks.
Bridges posted career-best numbers after being acquired from Phoenix in February, averaging 26.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 27 games. He also emerged as a locker room leader and quickly won over Brooklyn fans with his style of play. He has a team-friendly contract that runs for three more seasons.
“I think he’s proven to a lot of people that his role can continue to get better and better and bigger and bigger,” Marks said. “But now that when the ball is in his hands in those key crucial moments of games, can he step up? Can he be that guy that we can rely on in big moments? I think we saw it a little bit in Phoenix when Devin Booker was out. He carried a considerable load for them. And then we saw this year where he came in and immediately was a crowd favorite.”
There’s more from New York:
- The Nets have “genuine interest” in Damian Lillard if he asks the Trail Blazers for a trade, Lewis adds in another Post story. Lewis examines the various factors surrounding a potential Lillard trade, including his age, his contract, which will reach $63.2MM in 2026/27, and what Brooklyn would have to send to Portland in return. Lewis doesn’t expect Nets management to part with Bridges, so a deal would have to be built around Nic Claxton, with Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale thrown in for salary matching or possibly Ben Simmons if Brooklyn can include enough other pieces to convince the Blazers to take on his contract.
- Obi Toppin was the first lottery pick made by the Knicks‘ current management team, but his time in New York could end this summer, suggests Steve Popper of Newsday. Toppin has been stuck behind Julius Randle, which has prevented him from getting the playing time he needs to develop his game. Popper adds that although Toppin averaged 21.8 PPG in the five starts he made this season, he doesn’t provide the defensive presence that coach Tom Thibodeau wants at power forward.
- In a mailbag column, Fred Katz of The Athletic rates the Knicks‘ addition of Jalen Brunson last summer as the NBA’s best free agent signing since 2019.
Former Warriors guard Nico Mannion, who has spent the past two seasons in Europe, is expected to play for the Bucks‘ Summer League team this July, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.
The No. 48 pick in the 2020 draft, Mannion spent just one season in Golden State, logging limited minutes in 30 games, before returning to his home country of Italy to play for Virtus Bologna. The former Arizona Wildcat is still just 22 years old, so there’s plenty of time for him to take another shot at the NBA.
However, it’s worth noting that Mannion wouldn’t be able to sign outright with the Bucks or another team, since the Warriors have tendered him a two-way qualifying offer in each of the last two offseasons, ensuring they still have his rights as a restricted free agent. If Golden State reissues that QO this summer, Mannion would once again be an RFA, giving the Warriors the ability to control his NBA free agency.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, while the Knicks‘ reported interest at the trade deadline was overstated, a number of rival executives around the NBA are “skeptical about the long-term marriage” between the Bulls and Zach LaVine. Johnson cautions that the Bulls have backed LaVine at every opportunity and have shown no indications that they intend to move on from him anytime soon, but says the speculation about an eventual break-up that he heard at the combine was “prevalent enough to acknowledge.”
- Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com names Malik Beasley, Seth Curry, Yuta Watanabe, Terrence Ross, and Justin Holiday as some potential free agents who could be of interest to the Cavaliers this summer as the team seeks shooting help.
- In a mock draft for The Detroit News (subscription required), Mike Curtis has the Pistons selecting Houston forward Jarace Walker at No. 5 overall, noting that the pick may not be the most exciting one Detroit could make, but arguing it would instantly make the team “more formidable” on defense. Curtis’ pick for the Pistons at No. 31 is Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis.