Could the New York Knicks actually be considering something … smart?
According to the New York Times’ Marc Stein, the franchise is “weighing the prospect” of throwing a bunch of money at free agent center DeMarcus Cousins if they whiff on signing Kevin Durant. It would only be for a one-year deal, something that the talented but injured center might want in exchange for a long-term contract next summer.
Missing out on Durant or others in the group of talented free agents like Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker would of course be devastating.
But the worst thing the Knicks could do is overpay other free agents who aren’t worth max contracts and tie up their cap space with long-term deals.
It’s true that next summer’s crop of free agents — a list that could include DeMar DeRozan if he opts out, Draymond Green, Danilo Gallinari and Montrezl Harrell — doesn’t come close to matching the star power of the 2019 offseason. But it’s also true that things change around the NBA in seconds and a superstar like Anthony Davis can demand a trade. The Knicks should be ready with expiring deals (see: What the Atlanta Hawks are doing by taking on Allen Crabbe’s deal) and young assets if that happens.
There’s also the fact that signing Cousins to a one-year deal comes with zero risk and all the reward. Two years ago, he averaged 25.2 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.5 bpg. Some of those numbers dipped with the Warriors while he got acclimated after coming back from a ruptured Achilles. A quad injury in the playoffs didn’t help either. But if he’s motivated to prove he’s still one of the best big men in the game, the Knicks could then commit to him long-term.
This is one of the endless possibilities for the sad sack franchise, but if this is really what the front office has in mind for a Plan B, it’s a pretty smart one.
