New York Knicks: 5 players to target on one-year contracts in 2019 free agency

1. Iman Shumpert

An unusual but potentially worthwhile reunion, the New York Knicks can return Iman Shumpert to the Big Apple on a one-year deal, after bouncing between three organizations over the last two seasons.

Shumpert spent his first three-plus seasons in New York, playing on two postseason teams. He grew into a starting role, but never found the offensive output to stick in this role. That led to a game-changing 2015 trade to the Cavaliers, where he made three consecutive NBA Finals.

Four years later, Shumpert is back on the free agent market. He can still start, but is a limited shooter and mostly known for perimeter defense and athleticism.

Shumpert will turn age 29 for the 2019-20 season. It is young enough to garner a two-year deal, since he still impacts the game at the other end of the court. He struggled otherwise with Houston, though, potentially hurting his value.

The Knicks can sign Shumpert to a one-year deal and hope he provides something extra for them on defense, after horrific results from anyone they installed in the backcourt. While they may not find a winning record, the Georgia Tech product can eventually move at the trade deadline for a future pick.

There are one-year options across the board for the Knicks to consider, aside from these five players. Players like Shumpert and Parker won’t break the bank, but consume cap space in case the Knicks strike out on the top names this summer.