Marcus Smart was on the New York Knicks’ radar before joining the Los Angeles Lakers, and now that he’s off the board, the team’s next top target feels like it’s going to be…Ben Simmons.
The 2018 Rookie of the Year has been on the Big Apple’s radar for a little while, though it has felt like New York might wait out the futures of other options before making a decision. Those potential alternatives are now starting to find new homes.
In addition to Smart getting a buy out and leaving the Washington Wizards for the Lakers, Chris Paul has settled on a wildly interesting, if risky, reunion with the Los Angeles Clippers. While CP3 was always considered a long shot, the Knicks’ tracking of Smart speaks to what they’re looking for in their final veteran’s minimum contract slot: perimeter defense, with at least a little bit of ball-handling.
Ben Simmons checks more of the Knicks’ boxes than other free agents
Despite all of his offensive flaws, Simmons blends potential playmaking and defense more than anyone else possibly in the Knicks’ sights.
Malcolm Brogdon is a much better shooter and driver, but he doesn’t have the same positional malleability or defensive ceiling. De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II are certified stoppers when healthy, but Simmons is the more versatile passer. GP2 doesn’t have much experience on the ball, and Melton’s chemistry with bigs is all over the place.
Bringing back Cameron Payne feels redundant with Jordan Clarkson already slated for rotation minutes. Keeping Landry Shamet is interesting. He really does try on defense. But he’s not a true stopper, and certainly isn’t someone New York can entrust with a ton of playmaking responsibilities.
The Knicks must weigh the risks of a Simmons pursuit
Simmons’ pedigree isn’t what it once was at either end of the floor, but he's a worthwhile flier for a team like the Knicks with so many tiny holes. On the heels of offense-first offseason moves and a largely unimpressive summer-league performance from Tyler Kolek, you can make the case this rotation needs another wing, backup ball-handler, perimeter defender, and higher-volume outside shooter. If the plan is indeed to start Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Anthony Towns, New York could also use another big.
No singular player is checking all of those boxes, and the Knicks don’t have enough remaining roster spots to cross them off the list one-by-one. Simmons looms as the most comprehensive option. He can still make plays for others in transition and when going downhill in the half-court, you can buy some time with him in the frontcourt next to Towns or Guerschon Yabusele, and he still turns up the defensive dials for stretches at a time.
Whether Simmons is an overall good fit remains debatable. He will torpedo five-out spacing, particularly if both he and Josh Hart are coming off the bench, and he can’t play with Robinson. His offensive impact also vacillates between inconsistent, entirely muted, and detrimental.
You know what they say about beggars, though. New York has only the league’s minimum to offer, and can no longer promise free agents a guaranteed role. If someone like Simmons is willing to subject himself to that uncertainty, he’s worth a look.
Even if he’s actually not, the Knicks’ interest in Smart says a great deal about the type of player they’re hoping to sign with their remaining vet’s minimum slot. And Simmons is closer to that than anyone else remaining on the board.