The New York Knicks are reportedly interested in signing free agent point guard Jeff Teague. What would the pros and cons of that pursuit be?
The New York Knicks are approaching an offseason of tremendous importance and influence. Team president Phil Jackson will attempt to salvage a sinking ship by either fortifying the core or blowing it up and rebuilding it in a more structurally sound manner.
With the possibility remaining that Jackson will build around the current foundational pieces, two of his top targets at point guard have been revealed.
New York will have a decision to make on the Derrick Rose front. The 2011 NBA MVP will become an unrestricted free agent in July, and it’s conceivable that Jackson and the Knicks will let him walk due to his injury history and potential salary demands.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, the Knicks may attempt to replace Rose by making a run at free agent point guard Jeff Teague.
"But it doesn’t seem like enough to lure New Orleans point guard Jrue Holiday or Indiana Pacers point guard Jeff Teague, who some in the organization see as potential free-agent targets, per league sources. The Knicks would have to move some money off of the books to afford either Holiday or Teague."
Although a number of pending free agents offer reason for intrigue, the starting point in this evaluation process is Teague.
Teague, 28, is a quality point guard in the athletic prime of his career. He recently completed his eighth NBA season, during which he set career highs in both assists and rebounds per game. He did so while playing in all 82 games for the Indiana Pacers.
The question is: what would the pros and cons be of the New York Knicks making a run at the former All-Star?