New York Knicks: 2019 NBA Free Agency predictions roundtable

With 2019 NBA Free Agency almost here, this predicts who the New York Knicks will sign and re-sign from the open market.

At 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 30, the New York Knicks will enter 2019 NBA Free Agency, the long-anticipated open market that was hyped for most of the 2018-19 season. They have $70 million to spend on players, and part of it may land with the League’s top players.

How might everything result when it opens and everything unfolds? Who could the Knicks sign and re-sign? Let’s take a look in this first Daily Knicks Roundtable:

Eric Gonzalez

Kevin Durant

Durant has made it clear he wants to be his own man on his own team–the Knicks provide that best for him with financial flexibility to build around him.

Julius Randle

His ability to score and rebound will surely help this young team as Durant recovers. There is mutual interest between the Knicks and Randle.

Patrick Beverley

There’s history between Beverley and Durant but all of it stems from his intensity and commitment to play hard and stand up to anyone. This will be a signing that helps Coach Fizdale create that “Killer” mentality defensively and he can knock down shots.

Player to re-sign: Mario Hezonja

The last month of the season, Hezonja played well. He would be a good rotation player to get production from off the bench for 15 to 17 minutes a game. He also has improved his defense, an issue that had him benched throughout the season.

Matthew Budkofsky

Terry Rozier

Rozier was not quiet this season about his frustration serving as a backup to Kyrie Irving. The Knicks can offer Rozier the role he’s so desperately craved. He’s a good scorer and willing defender, and at just 25 years old he’s exactly the type of player the Knicks are searching for.

Jared Dudley

Jared Dudley checks a lot of the Knicks boxes. He’s a veteran leader who proved capable of leading a young squad to the playoffs. Dudley is a quality defender who can guard multiple positions, and stretch to the four in small ball lineups. He can also step outside and knock down the three ball, an area the Knicks struggled mightily with this past season. Prying him away from the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets would make the deal that much sweeter.

Kevin Durant

Every Knicks fan has fantasized about Durant bringing his talent to the Big Apple all year long. At this point, nobody, not even Durant himself, knows what he will ultimately decide. Until Durant actually puts pen to paper, I refuse to give up on the pipe dream. Even if Durant misses the entirety of the 2019-20 season, he’s still already one of the best players of all time and instantly makes the Knicks a title contender.

Player to re-sign: DeAndre Jordan

DeAndre Jordan’s role off the court for New York is arguably just as important as his role on it. His play style and mentorship is a great example for Mitchell Robinson to learn from. By bringing Jordan back, the Knicks could leverage his relationship with Kevin Durant to try and sign him. With all of their cap space, the Knicks could offer Jordan a short-term deal at a higher price. At this point in his career, Jordan is the type of veteran the leader the Knicks need in the locker room.

Anirudh Subramanian

Kevin Durant

Durant picks the Knicks because of the market they play in and the opportunities off the court. Plus, I can see Durant looking at what Kawhi Leonard did for Toronto, winning them their first title, he could bring that same kind of excitement to the Knicks. With the Knicks still needing to make more moves to shape the roster and with lots of young talent, the timeline fits KD’s availability, use this year to rehab as the young guys grow and gain experience.

D’Angelo Russell

Working on the same theme. Russell, at only age 23, would be one the youngest established all-stars on the market and fits the Knicks timeline of contending. The Knicks are a year away from contention, and they need a secondary star that has not entered their prime to fit Durant’s recovery schedule.

With Irving expected to sign with the Nets, Brooklyn can renounce Russell’s rights, making him a free agent. He is the perfect piece to pair with Durant because he can score, run the point and is very good catch and shoot player. The best part is the max deal is banking on his future and the upside that is still there.

Marcus Morris

Morris would be the perfect complementary piece to the Knicks title contending pursuits. Morris is an excellent all-around role player, he can score in the post, guard multiple positions and hit open three-point shots. With the Celtics looking to go younger with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, there may not be enough minutes for Morris, the Knicks could offer him a starting role in the frontcourt or be an option off the bench when the lineup goes small. The Knicks need veterans like Morris to help the growth of Robinson, Knox and Barrett.

Player to re-sign: DeAndre Jordan

Do you see a theme? Jordan is one of Durant’s closest friends, would provide instant comfortability in the locker room and veteran presence that can still play. He also could continue his mentoring of Robinson, who took off once the Knicks acquired Jordan. Jordan enjoyed his time with the Knicks, and I am sure is looking to play for a contender. He would provide them a more seasoned starter at center, letting Robinson grow more and insurance if Robinson struggles in his second year.

Jayson Kleinman

Kevin Durant

Though rumors are just that, I do think that Durant will sign with the Knicks. Teams have already made clear that they are willing to offer him the max, even with the injury, so the question becomes: why would Durant sign with the smaller NYC franchise? The purported “better core” in the Nets is really just two decent guards and a young big man, which the Knicks have in Mitch, Trier (friend of Durant) and Knox. Think that, out of all teams offering him packages, the Knicks have the best odds.

Julius Randle

Randle had a great season this past year and established himself as a starting caliber power forward or center who can put up 20-plus points per game. He’ll have competition at the 4/5 with Zion Williamson and Jaxson Hayes in New Orleans and that team being in the early stages of a rebuild, whereas he would not have that same competition in NYC and still fits the Knicks timeline, going into his age 25 season.

Bobby Portis

With news that Bobby Portis is hitting the market, feel like the team will be able to realistically get him if they can’t land Randle. A decent, young player who has shown promise on both ends, but whether the team signs him for anything close to his rumored 16m ask is unlikely.
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Player to re-sign: DeAndre Jordan

If the Knicks sign Durant, Jordan is going to be a big player they’ll want to bring back. Though we all love Meech, pairing him in the frontcourt with Durant may not be an ideal selling point for the two-time Finals MVP, whereas a bigger name and more established player (and friend) could make for an easier transition into NYC.

On top of that, he’s the perfect mentor for Robinson and could still give the young stud the lions share of the minutes next season, even pairing them in the frontcourt together if the team goes long and big.

Rob Wolkenbrod

Terry Rozier

The Knicks have Dennis Smith Jr., but that seemingly will not stop them from Boston’s former playoff hero. On a short-term deal, he is appealing enough to offer an opportunity to.

Wayne Ellington

This team desperately needs outside shooters. No one on the roster is a knockdown player from behind the arc, and Wayne Ellington can at least help the cause on a one or two-year pact.

Julius Randle

Potentially the biggest signing of New York’s offseason, Randle can sign to play alongside Robinson in the frontcourt. While not known as a floor spacer, the Kentucky product expanded his range in 2018-19, which could continue developing as he only enters his age-25 season.

Player to re-sign: Noah Vonleh

Noah Vonleh was terrific as frontcourt depth for the Knicks, and should not require breaking the bank to re-sign. He may not start full-time, but spelling Robinson and Randle is a perfect role for the young big man.