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New York Knicks: 3 under the radar free agent targets

By Jeffrey Bellone

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 16: Aron Baynes #46 of the Phoenix Suns blocks out Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks during a free throw in the first half at Madison Square Garden on January 16, 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 - JANUARY 16: Aron Baynes #46 of the Phoenix Suns blocks out Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks during a free throw in the first half at Madison Square Garden on January 16, 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) /
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 09: D.J. Augustin #14 of the Orlando Magic controls the ball against the Boston Celtics during the second half of a NBA basketball game at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 9, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images) /

Knicks under the radar target: DJ Augustin

There are a lot of sexier names to fill the point guard position for the Knicks than soon-to-be 33-year-old DJ Augustin, but that doesn’t mean the veteran guard should be overlooked.

If New York is committed to putting their young players in a position to succeed without sacrificing their lottery chances ahead of a stacked 2021 draft class, Augustin could be a nice player to bridge the gap until the Knicks find a long-term solution to facilitate their offense.

After two productive seasons with the Magic, an injury curtailed Augustin’s production in 2019-20, but there are still reasons to believe he can be a positive influence. In an off year, playing for a bad team in Orlando, lineups that included Augustin had a positive net rating (+3.8) that ranked in the top 74th percentile of the league, according to Cleaning the Glass.

How did they get there? Largely because of his playmaking. As a ball-handler in the pick-and-roll, Augustin ranked near the top quarter of the league (73rd percentile) in scoring efficiency, something that matters a lot when thinking about finding a point guard who can maximize Mitchell Robinson’s role in the offense. Over 50 percent of Augustin’s play types last season came with him as the lead facilitator in pick-and-roll situations.

The ability to sign Augustin doesn’t really come down to money – he should be relatively cheap – but the fact several teams will be looking for cost-efficient adds in a tight cap year could make the competition to secure his services higher than normal. If the Knicks decide to sit out the big name sweepstakes for a point guard, or if they draft a young player who could use a veteran presence next to him, Augustin makes for a good fit.

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