The New York Knicks will have plenty of money to spend this offseason, and Phil Jackson is determined to turn one of the worst teams in the NBA into a contender by building around Carmelo Anthony. Perhaps he will start with Greg Monroe.
According to Frank Isola of the NY Daily News, the Knicks are all but certain to sign the Detroit Pistons big man this summer. One NBA executive told Isola Monroe signing with the Knicks is “about as close to a done deal as you can get.”
As we shared with you several weeks ago, the Boston Celtics are also expected to make a run at Monroe.
The Knicks are expected to have about $30 million in cap space to work with heading into next season. In theory, they could sign multiple big-name free agents and still be in position to sign someone like Kevin Durant after next season, when the salary cap will increase roughly $20 million.
The Knicks are likely to finish with the worst or second-worst record in the NBA, which will give them a legitimate shot at landing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. They could use that to bolster their front court with Karl-Anthony Towns or Duke star Jahlil Okafor. One of those paired with Monroe would give New York respectable front court depth.
We all know Derek Fisher believes the Knicks can turn it around next year, as evidenced by the overly optimistic comments he made last week. Still, Jackson is going to have to put the hard sell on some players. With the Zen Master sitting in the front office and not patrolling the sidelines, the triangle offense isn’t getting the same level of respect it once did.
