Complete 2018 NBA Free Agency primer for OKC Thunder and all 30 teams
New York Knicks:
Free Agents:
- Ron Baker (RFA -player option)
- Michael Beasley (UFA)
- Jarrett Jack (UFA)
- Kyle O’Quinn – Note: opted out
- Luke Kornet (RFA – 2-way FA)
- Isaiah Hicks (RFA – 2-way FA)
Team Profile and Ranking:
Key Ranking Stats to end season:
- Offense: 24th (104.0)
- Defense: 23rd (108.4)
- Net: 24th (minus -4.4)
NBA Power Ranking at 2017-18 season end: 25th
ESPN Power Ranking post playoffs: 24th
Vegas odds to win 2018-19 title as of June 26: 150 to 1
Committed Salary: $99,972,105.00 as of June 29th
Average attendance: 19,331
Attendance rank: 9th
Arena: Madison Square Garden
Management:
- General Manager: Steve Mills – 2017
- Head Coach: David Fizdale – 2018 (replaces fired Jeff Hornacek)
Enes Kanter will exercise his $18.6M option to return to the Knicks next season, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/wU0JaPzgU2
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) June 29, 2018
Salary Profile:
OKC Thunder friend Enes Kanter opted into returning to New York. Meanwhile, Kyle O’Quinn elected to opt-out of his contract and test free agency. Ron Baker. also opted in. The Knicks have one partially guaranteed contract $1,544,951 partially guaranteed salary with Troy Williams ($1,544,951 )and a non-guarantee with Trey Burke ($1,795,015).
All the key tax exemptions exist with no need to utilize them.
| Sala | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Age | 2018-19 | Signed Using | Guaranteed |
| Enes Kanter | 26 | $18,622,514 | Bird Rights | $20,566,802 |
| Joakim Noah | 33 | $18,530,000 | Cap Space | $55,590,000 |
| Tim Hardaway | 26 | $17,325,000 | Cap space | $51,975,000 |
| Courtney Lee | 32 | $12,253,780 | Cap Space | $36,761,340 |
| Lance Thomas | 30 | $7,119,650 | Cap Space | $13,774,975 |
| Kristaps Porzingis | 22 | $5,697,054 | 1st round pick | $10,200,654 |
| Ron Baker | 25 | $4,544,400 | Room Exception | $8,872,400 |
| Frank Ntilikina | 19 | $4,155,720 | 1st Round Pick | $7,656,840 |
| Emmanuel Mudiay | 22 | $4,294,480 | 1st round pick | $7,675,960 |
| Damyean Dotson | 24 | $1,378,242 | Minimum Salary | $2,478,242 |
| Trey Burke | 25 | $1,795,015 | Minimum Salary | $784,160 |
| Team Totals | $95,715,855 | $231,996,625 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/29/2018.
Draft 2018:
Round 1:
With the 9th pick, the Knicks selected Kentucky forward Kevin Knox
Rookie Profile: School of hard Knox -Kevin Knox is ready to prove he is pro-ready
Round 2:
With the 36th pick, the Knicks (from Bulls via Thunder) selected center Mitchell Robinson.
Rookie Profile: After a year off Mitchell Robinson leaves us guessing
Free Agency – Offseason Mandate:
Enes toyed with the Knicks fans but opted into his final year. Not much to say here other than the future is looking up for the Mecca as they’ll have ample money to throw around in one year (although the Joakim Noah contract remains an albatross).
Better to take a season to see what you have in your youngsters and then when Porzingis returns prepare to make a mark and bring the Mecca back to prominence. Maybe it’s because I’m on the East Coast, but I think more NBA fans are desirous of New York being viable again than they are the Lakers.
Also looking forward to Kevin Knox making some of the Knicks loyalists regret booing him on draft night.