The New York Knicks are reportedly interested in veteran playmaker Shaun Livingston of the Golden State Warriors. According to RealGm writer Keith P. Smith, Knicks president of basketball operations Phil Jackson has been a fan of Livingston’s game, and the crafty veteran would fit well in the triangle.
Livingston’s value for Warriors
Smith claims that Livingston is included in the Knicks’ wish-list of point guards. New York has a little wiggle room this offseason to accommodate All-Star-caliber playmakers like Jeff Teague or George Hill, but it looks like Livingston can be had on a deal that pays just around the $10M to 15M per year mark.
Re-signing Derrick Rose to another one-year deal is an option, but it won’t be surprising if Jackson pulls off a coup to snag Livingston from the Warriors.
Livingston, who averaged 5.1 points in just over 19 minutes per game, will become an unrestricted free agent after this season, and he could command a really decent pay-hike, larger than he’s earning with the Warriors this season at $5.7 million.
Steve Kerr expected to miss rest of playoffs
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is expected to miss the remainder of their postseason campaign as complications from a back surgery two years ago continue to linger. Although Kerr is still involved in team preparation, the Warriors are bracing for the worst, and it is likely that lead assistant Mike Brown will be the one coaching the team for the rest of their playoff campaign this year.
“We plan on Steve not to come back,” Draymond Green said during a recent press conference via Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Gate. “That’s the way we’re approaching this thing. We’re not going to sit around and say, ‘Oh, man, if we can get to the conference finals Steve may be back!’ Nah. Mike Brown is our coach.”
Kerr, who won the Coach of the Year last season despite missing the majority of his team's games with back problems, will likely have to watch games on TV, with his condition reportedly getting worse over the past few weeks, according to San Jose Mercury News’ Anthony Slater.
