New York Knicks: Pros and Cons of targeting Patty Mills in free agency

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May 16, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills (8) during the first quarter in game two of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Spurs 136-100. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Pro: Affordability

George Hill and Jeff Teague are likely to command somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 million per season. That’s a daunting reality for a New York Knicks franchise that should be hesitant to hand out another lucrative contract.

Patty Mills is going to command a hefty salary himself, but there’s reason to believe that he could come at a more affordable price.

While Hill and Teague have spent most of their respective career starting for postseason-caliber teams, Mills has come off the bench. In 2016-17, he averaged 21.9 minutes per game during the regular season and 26.0 minutes per game during the postseason.

That isn’t to say that Mills will falter with more minutes, but instead an acknowledgement of how sample size can influence asking price.

Even if the difference is small, New York must do what it can to save money during the summer of 2017. With Hill and Teague flirting with 30 years of age, and Hill already 31, there should be a limit on the amount of money the organization is willing to invest.

Of the three players, Mills projects to provide the best bang for the Knicks’ buck—and that must be weighed as a factor here.