New York Knicks: Top 2019 free agent competitors by projected cap space
Which teams do the New York Knicks have to contest in free agency via available cap space?
The New York Knicks could have as much as $74 million in cap space to spend this summer in free agency. This topic has consumed their season, with top players like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving linked to them since October.
Other teams will have money to spend this offseason, however, as the Knicks are not the only organization who can target the biggest free agents. Teams prepped for this over the past few years and over half the NBA could have cap space.
Only some of them can sign max contracts, however, and worthwhile for the Knicks to track. Who are their biggest competition?
The money figures are practical cap space according to Spotrac. It denotes cap space with cap holds renounced if team salary was below the cap maximum.
5. Indiana Pacers ($48.83 million)
The Indiana Pacers are probably not the first team to come to mind with cap space, but they could have $48.83 million if they renounce all of their free agents.
Will that happen? Probably not. Five core members are set for the open market, and if the Pacers lost all of them, it would mean a total roster shakeup for the 2019-20 season, and that’s with Victor Oladipo‘s health in question after a torn quad.
Indiana is not a big market, either. They will snag more Tyreke Evans or Darren Collison-esque players, but not a team that will sign Kemba Walker or Klay Thompson, barring an upset. The current core isn’t strong, despite Myles Turner‘s talent and Oladipo when fit.
They still have money to work with in the middle of the free agent market. The New York Knicks seemingly have their targets aimed high and will potentially have little to no money remaining when the dust settles, so these teams technically are not a “threat” to each other. If the superstar plan turns sour, though, maybe everything changes.
The Pacers can make moves this summer, but with the cap space spread out to fill the roster. Some of it could go towards re-signing players. The rest to middle-tier free agents.