It is no secret that the Knicks need to add guard depth to their roster. I have been shouting it from the rooftops every opportunity that I have gotten. The only question is where that depth will come from. One potential option, according to The Athletic's James L. Edwards III, is Ty Jerome, who just had a breakout season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Knicks have most of their cap space tied up in their starting lineup. They will be one of the most top-heavy teams in the league next year, especially if they stay under the second apron, which they intend to do by all accounts. They will need to do their best to maximize the little space they have available to them by finding talent in a weak free agent class.
While this is one of the weakest free agent classes in recent memory, the positive side is that there are some impactful guards available. One of the best among them is Jerome, a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year last season in what was easily the best year of his career.
Jerome was a monster last season
Jerome's breakout season was a big part of why the Cavaliers rolled to the best record in the Eastern Conference. He averaged 12.5 points, 3.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals last season. He was an elite shooter, knocking down 43.9 percent of his 3-pointers.
He possesses one of the game's best floaters and would form an elite pairing with Jalen Brunson, who is known to have a pretty good (incredible) floater himself. Jerome is also a good playmaker, and while he is listed as a shooting guard, he is capable of handling the rock and facilitating for others.
Can the Knicks afford Jerome?
There is no doubt that the Knicks would love to have Jerome on their roster. The question is whether they can afford him. The Knicks will likely have a taxpayer midlevel exception of $5.7 million to throw at Jerome, or a different ball-handler. However, Jerome will likely do his best to cash in on the success he had last season.
Not many teams have cap space right now, which does play in the Knicks favor. However, Jerome could command somewhere between the taxpayer MLE and nontaxpayer MLE, according to Edwards III. The Knicks are steadfast on competing for a championship next season, which could also help persuade Jerome to sign.