New York Knicks rumors have the team in hot pursuit of a former All-Star point guard. The good news for Knicks fans is that there may be mutual interest in this situation. That free agent point guard is Rajon Rondo, who was released by the Chicago Bulls and who is now free to sign with any other NBA team This could be a good fit for the Knicks, whether the team follows through with a Carmelo Anthony trade or not.
Rajon Rondo is a pass-first point guard who could really fit in well with a roster already packed with offensive weapons. The New York Knicks still have Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis on the roster but are also finalizing a deal with Tim Hardaway Jr.
to bring him back to the franchise. Hardaway got dealt in an effort by Phil Jackson to acquire Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls, but that move never really worked out well for the franchise.
Can the Knicks afford to give Rondo a good contract?
The trick here is that the front office of the Knicks is going to have to convince Rondo to take a pay cut if they want him to come play in New York. Rondo has become accustomed to making more than $10 million a season in the NBA and that is simply impossible with the payroll restrictions that the Knicks are currently dealing with. While things could get cleared up by trading Anthony to a team like the Houston Rockets or Cleveland Cavaliers, it’s still possible to construct a new Rondo contract.
The New York Knicks have less than $2 million in cap space and a $4.3 million exception to offer free agents at the moment. This does mean that they could offer that $4.3 million contract to Rajon Rondo, but that would keep them from signing another free agent during the NBA offseason. If the team could somehow convince Rondo to sign for the veteran’s minimum so that they could then approach another free agent, it could come away as a huge win for the franchise.
Are the New York Knicks rebuilding or contending?
There is a lot that is up in the air for the franchise, which is why there have been so many New York Knicks rumors since the end of the 2016-17 NBA season. Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis have shown up in trade rumors, the team has moved on from team president Phil Jackson, and there are concerted efforts by general manager Steve Mills to add youth to the roster.
This was despite trying to trade for Ricky Rubio. Youth would also mean no Rondo.
On paper, Rajon Rondo looks like a really good fit with the current Knicks’ roster, but that is contingent on the team keeping it all intact. Dealing away Anthony would certainly free up money and possibly bring back some younger players, but the talent on the roster would take a big hit. In a best-case scenario for the fans, these New York Knicks rumors will lead to Rajon Rondo signing at a discount as he helps the team get back to the NBA Playoffs.
