One of the few remaining questions for the Knicks' offseason is how the front office will go about filling the rest of their roster. They have enough room to sign another veteran on a minimum deal, with the final spot going to a rookie. Who they give that remaining vet minimum deal to remains a mystery. One possibility is versatile forward Chris Boucher.
Those final two spots will mainly serve as "break in case of emergency" roles on the bench. The Knicks' rotation is more or less solidified at this point. Still, the season is long and unpredictable. Having proven veterans capable of stepping into a bigger role is always a good thing.
Boucher is 32 years old, but has only spent seven seasons in the league, not including the 2017-18 season when he appeared in just one game for the Golden State Warriors.
Boucher is a jack of all trades
The primary thing the Knicks would get with Boucher is versatility. As he told Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype earlier this offseason, he can play every position except for point guard. While that may be true, Boucher spends most of his time playing forward.
In the 2024-25 regular season, Boucher appeared in 50 games for the Toronto Raptors, averaging 10 points, 0.7 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in just over 17 minutes per game. He had one of the better shooting seasons of his career, draining 36.3 percent of his threes, of which he attempted nearly four per game.
The downside of Boucher is largely on the defensive end. He has been a net-negative defender for most of his career, something that is unlikely to change at this point. Last season, he posted a -0.9 Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, which ranked in only the 22nd percentile of the entire league.
The pickings are slim
At this point, there aren't many options remaining on the open market that move the needle. It is all about finding little things that can give you a slight edge. Boucher is one of several wings, including Garrison Mathews and Amir Coffey, who the Knicks will likely consider to some extent internally.
Then there are guards such as Malcolm Brogdon, Landry Shamet, and Cameron Payne. Shamet and Payne spent last season in New York, of course. There is also the far-fetched chance that they persuade Al Horford to take a pay cut and come to the Knicks, someone who would move the needle in a major way.