Knicks buyout candidates: 3 best possible options to bolster roster

The New York Knicks aren’t scratching and clawing their way to relevancy; they are a legitimately good team. They’ve risen to sixth in the Eastern Conference at the All-Star Break, with strong underlying metrics and a pair of respectable All-Star players in Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson (Randle making the team, Brunson landing just outside). With reinforcements coming soon, the Knicks are a stacked team.

Legitimately good teams spend this period of the NBA calendar mining the buyout market for additions. This season’s crop of players who are available or could become available is uniquely strong, which could give the Knicks a boost for the stretch run. With two open roster spots, it seems almost a given they will sign a player off the buyout market.

Who could they pick? Here are three potential options after Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook were scooped up.

Knicks buyout candidate No. 3: Dario Saric

The Phoenix Suns moved Dario Saric at the trade deadline to reduce their tax bill, and it’s quite possible the Oklahoma City Thunder decide to keep him around. Given the Thunder’s bevy of small centers, however, it seems unlikely that Saric would have much of a future there, which could lead to a contract buyout.

Saric has bounced back after missing last season recovering from an ACL tear, and he could give the Knicks some small-ball flexibility in the frontcourt. He has the combination of size (6’10”) and mobility to be a switch big at center, and he has hit 38.9% of his 3-point shots this season. He would be a low-usage Swiss Army knife for a Knicks team made up of solid centers and defense-second power forwards.

Knicks buyout candidate No. 2: Juan Toscano-Anderson

If the Knicks, or any team, are looking for a low-usage role player who knows his role and plays hard on every possession, Juan Toscano-Anderson fits the bill. The Oakland, CA native found his way onto the Golden State Warriors and was developed into a useful NBA player, winning a title last season.

His 3-point shot comes and goes. On teams where there’s spacing around him and he can move with pace, he seems to find his groove and hit open shots. On teams where the floor is crowded, he isn’t the best at scoring in any amount of traffic. His addition might be more for the team chemistry and hustle he would provide, not the high offensive ceiling. Even so, an up-and-down lineup involving Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin could benefit from a player like Toscano-Anderson.

Knicks buyout candidate No. 1: Patrick Beverley

Part of mining the buyout market is determining which veteran role players were simply in a slump, and which ones are entering the “washed up” phase of their careers. Patrick Beverley had a rough season for the Los Angeles Lakers, but he has been a solid contributor for the past few years and theoretically would fit well with a playoff team.

Beverley is a low-usage guard who has a lot of experience playing alongside ball-dominant stars. He’s a rugged defender with the length to switch multiple positions. The Knicks probably wouldn’t ask him to do that as much as other teams, but his quick hands (that generate steals) would fit right in. Other teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves or even Los Angeles Clippers may value him more, but he could give the Knicks some veteran experience in a young backcourt.