The final missing piece for the Knicks is a floor general that can serve as some insurance to the rest of the guards on their roster, mainly their ball-handlers. According to insider Jake Fischer, that piece could be Malcolm Brogdon, who Fischer reported has been on the Knicks' radar.
Fischer also noted that Brogdon is being monitored by the Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors, who have been in a standoff with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, something that has caused the rest of their free agent plans to stall.
The Knicks have been linked to a number of free agents this summer, including Landry Shamet, Cam Payne, and Delon Wright, all of whom spent last season in New York. They have also been linked to the most high-profile name who is still available, Malik Beasley.
However, according to Fischer, Beasley will likely be looking for a deal that is more than the veteran minimum, which is all that the Knicks would be able to offer. Assuming nothing materializes with Beasley, the Knicks' money would be best spent to shore up the end of the bench with a ball-handling guard such as Brogdon.
The Knicks need a playmaking depth piece
Beasley would be the ideal, as almost any team in the league would immediately benefit from adding one of the most accurate high-volume shooters on the planet. If a minimum contract isn't enough to tempt him to New York, though, they should look to ball-handlers over microwave scorers.
There are concerns regarding who can run the offense in minutes where Jalen Brunson sits. As of now, it seems that Deuce McBride will be trusted to start the season in the backup point guard role, and Tyler Kolek is also a traditional ball-handler. That said, McBride is more of an off-ball guard, while Kolek was far from impressive during summer league play.
Adding a veteran like Brogdon to the roster, who is only a couple of years removed from a Sixth Man of the Year season, makes plenty of sense. Brogdon has nearly a decade of experience in the league and would be a valuable voice in the Knicks' locker room as well as a mentor to their young core.
There are certainly some injury concerns, and his best days are likely behind him. Still in a diminished role, there is some clear upside to Brogdon, and it also fills the biggest void that they have on their roster as currently constructed.