2. No Long-Term Risk
Yes, the New York Knicks are employing two point guards who have a troubling history of injuries. Yes, it’s entirely possible that both will either underperform or succumb to the injuries that have plagued them before.
True as that all may be, the financial structure of both contracts imply that the Knicks don’t have very much to lose.
Derrick Rose is making a hefty sum of money, but he’s entering the final season of his current contract. He’s due to make $21,323,252 in 2016-17, but if it doesn’t work out for the Knicks, he’ll be a free agent next season.
The same can be said for Brandon Jennings, who’s only due $5 million on a one-year deal, per Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago.
Jennings agrees to a one year $5 million deal with the Knicks according to sources
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) July 4, 2016
That’s as low-risk a move as one can find in the modern NBA—or any era, for that matter.
Jennings is coming off of a severe injury, but there’s nothing on the line aside from one season of reasonable pay. The worst case scenario in this situation is that Jennings can’t provide the necessary impact or consistency, and he walks in 2017.
For that matter, the worst case scenario may actually be that Jackson flips Jennings at the Trade Deadline for a decent return.
The best case scenario is that Jennings plays like himself again, and the Knicks have, arguably, the best sixth man in the NBA. That’s the very definition of a low-risk, high-reward type of investment.
As career role players land long-term deals worth tens of millions of dollars, Phil Jackson knocked this one out of the park from a financial perspective.
Next: The Hunger