The Knicks are rebuilding. And yes, you’ve heard that one before, but it’s true. They are. As partially evidenced by the mostly short-term contracts they signed players to last offseason and the young age of the roster’s core. And changes to their coaching staff and front office. Here’s the New York Post reviewing their situation this NBA offseason:
Of their 15-man roster, the Knicks have only seven players guaranteed under contract for next season.
Bobby Portis, Elfrid Payton, Taj Gibson, Wayne Ellington, Theo Pinson and Reggie Bullock either have a team option or non-guaranteed deals that have to soon be enforced for next season. Damyean Dotson and Mo Harkless are outright free agents. Only Bullock has a strong chance of returning.
The Knicks will have three draft picks on Nov. 18, including a lottery pick at No. 8. Those rookies will come into camp with no summer-league action and possibly not even more than one preseason game under their belts.
If the Knicks don’t bring back any of the team-option/non-guaranteed guys, they will have $48 million in cap room if the NBA decides to use last year’s number of $109 million because of revenue losses.
With all the uncertainty facing the entire world right now, both in and outside of sports, and the very good chance that free agency is sped up drastically this year, it’s likely that many players with options in their contracts will elect to stick with their current teams. A good guess is that there’s less free agency movement this offseason than usual. Which may make it tougher for rebuilding teams to suddenly make big changes in 2020.
