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New York Knicks: Five reasons signing Troy Williams was the right move

By Maxwell Ogden

PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 6: Troy Williams of the New York Knicks is seen during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 6, 2018 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 6: Troy Williams of the New York Knicks is seen during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 6, 2018 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 24: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Troy Williams #0 of the New York Knicks in action against Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden on February 24, 2018 in New York City. The Celtics defeated the Knicks 121-112. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 24: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Troy Williams #0 of the New York Knicks in action against Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden on February 24, 2018 in New York City. The Celtics defeated the Knicks 121-112. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

5. Low Risk, High Reward

Signing Troy Williams to a multi-year deal won’t require the New York Knicks to break the bank. This is highly unlikely to be a lucrative contract, but instead what can be viewed as mutually beneficial length and compensation.

Thus, while some may question Williams’ long-term value, it would be difficult to oppose a team-friendly deal that doesn’t count for much against the cap.

It’s possible that the Knicks would like to have as many open roster spots as possible entering the 2018 offseason. That would certainly be a reason to leave Williams off the 2018-19 payroll, but that’s the appeal of a reasonable salary or even a partially or non-guaranteed contract.

In the event that Williams is outplayed during training camp, the Knicks could part with him for a minimal cost against the salary cap.

The other reality here is that drafting a small forward in Round 1 wouldn’t address the absence of depth at the position. Tim Hardaway Jr. is more of a shooting guard than a small forward, and the Knicks’ rumored desire to select a 3 in the top 10 of the 2018 NBA Draft is proof of it.

In the event that the Knicks require depth at small forward, having a player who’s already learning the plays and executing at a respectable level would provide a necessary dose of continuity.