Daily Knicks
Fansided

New York Knicks: Have these players played their final game with Knicks?

By Jeffrey Bellone

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 12: Frank Ntilikina #11 of the New York Knicks directs his teammates in the first half against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden on February 12, 2020 in New York City.NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 12: Frank Ntilikina #11 of the New York Knicks directs his teammates in the first half against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden on February 12, 2020 in New York City.NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 9
Next
Knicks
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 08: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Bobby Portis #1 of the New York Knicks in action against Thon Maker #7 of the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden on March 08, 2020 in New York City. The Knicks defeated the Pistons 96-84. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Bobby Portis

Bobby Portis signed a two-year, $31 million offer sheet with the Knicks that the Washington Wizards (smartly) didn’t match. He earned $15 million this season, and carries a club option for an additional $15.75 million in 2020-21.

The Knicks will most certainly pass on exercising Portis’ option. Does that mean they couldn’t bring him back on a new deal? Perhaps. But I don’t think so.

Last summer, recently departed team president Steve Mills and recently optioned Scott Perry were ridiculed for their acquisition of several power forwards during free agency. Whether you agree with the players they signed or not, the silver lining to their spending was that they brought in a group of players on two-year deals that were either non-guaranteed in the second year or contained a club option.

Portis has a club option, meaning he is relatively the cheapest recent signing who the Knicks can cut ties with without absorbing any carry-over cap hit.

The power forward has had a few superlative performances with the Knicks:

  • Single handedly beating the Bulls in his revenge game in October.
  • His 30-point outburst against Miami.

But otherwise he was rarely used the proper way, becoming too reliant on post-ups, and deviating from his outside game that makes him a useful player in a modern lineup.

Home/Knicks News