It is clear that the New York Knicks are doing two things. 1) They’re primary focus in the offseason is to look for a new point guard. 2) They’re going through free agency to find one.
That makes sense. They already have a young guard in Jerian Grant who is still raw, no point trading into the Draft to get another young, raw talent. No, the Knicks need someone established, preferably in their prime.
They have many on their list and recently inducted coach Jeff Hornacek knows that a point guard is needed.
“We have a young player that’s obviously inexperienced after his first year,’’ Hornacek said at Friday’s press conference. “He’ll get better and better. Jose is kind of later in his career. If we can find a middle guy to bridge those two guys, it would be good. There’s a lot of guys out there. I’m sure Phil [Jackson, team president] and Steve [Mills, general manager] are looking at everything.’’
“If there’s something out there in free agency to bring in that guy, in between, that can help guide the younger guard and assist the older point guard, that would make the team better,’’ Hornacek added.
Now the Knicks currently have Grant who’s too raw, Jose Calderón who’s too old and Tony Wroten who would be just right but with the recovery from his ACL surgeries it’s risky to give him the role.
Now as for the candidates the Knicks have some good names like Mike Conley and Rajon Rondo. But after them the list takes a bit of a drop. Mario Chalmers, DJ Augustin, Aaron Brooks, Brandon Jennings. (who I still think can lead a team)
Now Jeremy Lin and Ty Lawson are there to take but the Knicks have taken them off their shortlist.
Sources have indicated the Knicks consider Lawson’s off-court issues too big a risk and Lin’s defense too gaping.
So that’s two already out of the question. Rondo and Conley are the main two but if they can’t get those they have choices but they’re certainly not on Conley or Rondo’s level.
We will see what happens July 1st.
