Reacting to Hoops Habit’s 5 Knicks free agent targets
By James Ryder
Reacting to Ricky Rubio/TJ Warren as Knicks free agent targets
I figured that since these aren’t big names, Ricky Rubio and TJ Warren can share a slide. Simone spoke to the common Knicks “narrative” of the team needing a “true point guard,” and he pointed out that Rubio fits that mold perfectly.
While I agree with that assessment of Rubio, I still think that he isn’t the right choice for New York. Rubio would be coming off one of the best seasons of his career, but also off of an ACL tear.
This, along with him being a 31-year-old with inconsistent scoring and shooting abilities, would make Rubio yet another stop gap answer at point guard.
As for Warren, I actually think he would be a good fit and a very interesting player for the Knicks to sign, in a vacuum.
The last time Warren was on the court (besides just four games last season) it was in “the bubble” and he looked like Michael Jordan.
The 28-year-old small forward is a great scorer and a more than capable defender when he puts his mind to it. He’s always been a high-quality role player, so that sort of help on the Knicks would bear promising results.
Simone calls such a move one with “great upside” that “probably won’t be too high” a price financially.
I agree with the upside part. However, the fit at the moment is still questionable in my eyes but I can actually see the opposite of what Simone suggests happening concerning a contract.
I think that New York would have to make room for him money-wise by offloading Evan Fournier, whose contract looks close to what I would expect Warren to be seeking.
Such a move would also avoid a total log jam on the wings. But, even then, Warren would be blocking guys like Cam Reddish and Quentin Grimes from ascending further in their current roles with the Knicks.
After another down year, I think the best direction for New York is one in which it avoids these two players in favor of younger players.
