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New York Knicks: Under The Radar Free Agents To Consider

By Maxwell Ogden

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 24: KJ McDaniels #14 of the Brooklyn Nets collides with Jason Smith #14 of the Washington Wizards after dunking during the second half at Verizon Center on March 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 24: KJ McDaniels #14 of the Brooklyn Nets collides with Jason Smith #14 of the Washington Wizards after dunking during the second half at Verizon Center on March 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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Alex Poythress

Position: Small Forward
Age: 23 (9/6/1993)
Experience: 1 Season
2016-17 Slash Line: .463/.316/.800
2016-17 Season Averages: 26.2 MPG, 10.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.8 ORPG, 0.8 APG, 1.0 3PM

Alex Poythress appeared in only 12 games during the 2016-17 NBA regular season. Between his tenure in the NBA D-League with the the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and his 12-game NBA tenure, however, he showed flashes of intriguing potential.

If the New York Knicks are looking for young players with two-way potential, then Poythress could be a perfect low-cost option in free agency.

Poythress has ideal size as a 6’7″ and 235-pound hybrid forward who can defend both the 3 and the 4 at high levels. He’s improved his jump shot quite significantly over the past year, and a coach like Jeff Hornacek could help him further expand his range.

Per Joe Bloss of CSN Philly, 76ers assistant coach Billy Lange heralded the trait that complements Poythress’ tremendous size and length: his explosive athleticism.

"“He’ll jump up out of nowhere and tip-dunk an offensive rebound, he’ll take off down the floor and chase someone down and block a shot,” Lange said. “It’s just about getting him to have a motor. A lot of that … comes with confidence, understanding that he can do it at this level.”"

If New York acts quicker than Philadelphia, Poythress could play a significant role in both the short-term and long-term cultivation of a team.

Currently a member of the 76ers’ Summer League roster, the Knicks would need to act quickly to sign Poythress. It’s likely that he’ll end up at training camp with Philadelphia if New York doesn’t act swiftly, which could result in his securing a main roster spot.

For what it’s worth, Poythress finished his 45-game stint in the D-League with averages of 18.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.6 offensive rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.4 blocks on a slash line of .527/.403/.783.