by Andrew on Sat Jun 15, 2019 8:56 pm
That's a good point. I'm not sure why I suggested him actually, given that he's not a free agent this year. That's a more important factor than questions about his attitude.
Crazy as it sounds, I think they should make overtures to Kawhi Leonard. It's a long shot, but they should let Kawhi take them out of the running, not bow out of the race themselves. Anyone who has the cap space should at least try to set up a meeting and make their pitch. Even in the wake of winning the championship, Kawhi doesn't seem ready to publicly commit to staying in Toronto, so the Knicks might as well shoot their shot.
The same goes for Jimmy Butler, and indeed, he might be the slightly more realistic target. I think there's a good chance he stays put, but at the same time, it's not a lock. Once again, you let him take you out of the running rather than assume you have no chance. Of course, like Kawhi, Butler is also only a free agent if he opts out, but the chances of them at least doing that to keep their options open are probably quite good.
Tobias Harris is an interesting option, though I have a feeling he's going to be overpaid wherever he lands. I'd have thought Otto Porter Jr. would serve as a warning to NBA teams, but it doesn't seem to be the case. Overspending just to make some kind of a big signing or not letting a player walk for nothing in return still seems to be a thing, and it doesn't do a rebuilding effort any good. Still, I do think Harris is up there among the better free agent options, especially with the bigger names being less likely or ruled out as undesirable for the Knicks.