3 Current Free Agents For The 2021 NY Knicks
3 Current Free Agents For The 2021 NY Knicks
Written By Kyle Crabbe
Twitter:@KthetruestKnick, @PaceofSportsTks
The 2020-21 NBA Season for Knicks fans has been very optimistic as Knicks' basketball under new Head Coach Tom Thibodeau have been played above team expectations. In a year where many didn't know what to expect from the Knicks, New York has played competitive basketball through their first handful of games and look like their might be a possibility of playoffs.
The early season has seen great play from Knicks Forward Julius Randle as he is been playing his career best basketball under Coach Thibs. Randle, this season is producing a stat line of 22 Points, 11 Rebounds, and 7 Assists per game. Randle has been playing at a All-Star level under the new leadership and coaching of Tom Thibodeau.
The Knicks this year have also saw improvement from their young players such as RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, and Kevin Knox. As the Knicks still struggle to find consistency, I believe the Knicks can look at a few players right now that can be of help this season.
The Knicks have been a strong defensive team this year and that has given them the chance to win games and be competitive in all their games played. With Tom Thibodeau being one of the best Defensive Coaches in the NBA and one of the better Defensive minds the NBA has had in recent history gives reason to believe that will be a strong trait of the New York Knicks all year.
What the Knicks have had issues with all season has been on the offensive side of the court. The Knicks' rank second to last(29th) in Points Per Game and in Offensive Rating. New York has mainly struggled to hit outside perimeter shots consistently, currently ranked at 22nd in 3-Point Percentage and 27th in Effective Field Goal Percentage. With these being the areas where the Knicks can improve at, I have looked at a couple players with ties to the Knicks or Coach Thibs that can help New York right away. Let's take a look
3) Vince Carter
Position: SG/ SF
Career Stats: 16.7 Points Per Game, 4.3 Rebounds Per Game, 3.1 Assists Per Game, .435% Field Goal Percentage, .371% 3-Point Percentage, .798% Free Throw Percentage
TrueFan Skinny Take:
Adding a player with the caliber of former 8x NBA All-Star Vince Carter would be a excellent addition for this year's New York Knicks. Carter recently retired from the NBA after not signing with a new team and played with the Atlanta Hawks last season.
Carter would offer great veteran experience and mentor-ship especially for Knicks young Star Shooting Guard RJ Barrett. Barrett has ties to Carter, as Carter was the Superstar Franchise Player for the Toronto Raptors while Barrett was a young up-and-coming basketball prodigy in the great Canada / Toronto area.
Barrett has struggled to find consistency with his offense and finding his shooting touch. For being one of the best Athletes the NBA has ever witnessed, Carter was also praised for his great shot selection throughout his career and being a consistent offensive player that averaged over 20 points per game over 10 plus seasons.
If the Knicks can lure Vince Carter out of retirement for just this season, Carter would be a great addition to the Knicks team.
2) Kyle Korver
Position: SG/ SF
Career Stats: 9.7 Points Per Game, 3.0 Rebounds Per Game, 1.7 Assists Per Game, .442% Field Goal Percentage, .429% 3-Point Percentage, .877% Free Throw Percentage
TrueFan Take:
The Knicks biggest issue this season has been in finding consistent outside shooting. Kyle Korver might be the closest thing to being the best pure “ Outside Shooter” in the NBA not playing for the Golden State Warriors. Korver is a renowned Deadly Shooter that has a well earned nickname of “ Machine Gun”.
Korver holds NBA records for most seasons leading the league in 3-Point Percentage(4) and for having the highest 3-Point Percentage in a season. Korver is currently a Free Agent and played under Coach Tom Thibodeau for two seasons with the Chicago Bulls from 2010 to 2012, so he also very familiar with Thibodeau coaching and defensive approach.
I believe Korver could be a excellent piece that could push this Knicks team over the top to being a fringe post-season team or barely missing this year's playoffs. Korver would bring a strong work ethnic to a young team, veteran experience with winning teams and playing in big games, as well as solving the Knicks Outside Shooting problems and adding a great floor spacer for basket-drivers such as RJ Barrett and Julius Randle.
1) Jamal Crawford
Position: SG / PG
Career Stats: 14.6 Points Per Game, 2.2 Rebounds Per Game, 3.4 Assists Per Game, .410% Field Goal Percentage, .348% 3-Point Percentage, .862% Free Throw Percentage
TrueFan Take:
Jamal Crawford would be a perfect signing for the 2020-21 New York Knicks. Crawford is a former Knicks Shooting Guard, playing in the Garden from 2004 to 2008 as well as Crawford played for Knicks new Head Coach Tom Thibodeau before in Minnesota. That one year Crawford played for Thibs in Minnesota, Crawford had a great season off the bench and won the 2018 Teammate of the Year.
With the Knicks having struggles on the offensive side of the court, Crawford could be an ideal answer. Crawford is one of the best ball handlers and offensive talents of his generation and that the NBA has ever seen. Crawford has iconic handles and is known to hit a plethora of shots from anywhere on the basketball court. Crawford holds the record for most 4-Point Plays of all-time in the NBA.
While Crawford has aged recently (turning 40 years old last March), he has as of April 2019 became the oldest to score over 50 points in a NBA game, and in that game snatched the record for most points scored coming off the bench in a NBA game. Jamal by many is considered the best sixth man of all-time and he has won the 6th Man of the Year an incredible 3 times.
Crawford would give this Knicks' team a dedicated Mentor and talented offensive basketball player of rare skills, whom could give much needed assistance on the offensive end by verbally offering tips and advice as well as giving sparingly minutes for the Knicks offense. Crawford is still loved by the fans of New York City and with his experience playing for the Knicks can offer great public relations for the Knicks and the new leadership of Leon Rose and Tom Thibodeau.
I believe bringing J-Crawford back to the city for the Knicks could be a season-changing move.
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