New York Knicks
Projected to have about $61.2M in cap space during the offseason, the New York Knicks are not just a threat to go after a player like Jrue Holiday, but basically any player that is going to be a free agent. Not only has New York turned themselves into a very attractive destination, but they have turned themselves into a playoff team that should not be overlooked in the East.
The Knicks have not made the playoffs since 2013, but with the emergence of first-year All-Star Julius Randle and the brilliant play of second-year wing R.J. Barrett, the Knicks have a core in place to be a susuatable team for a long time to come. This is why going after a guy like Jrue Holiday makes a ton of sense.
Like the Lakers, the Knicks are one of the top defensive teams in the league this season, ranking 3rd in the league in defensive rating, but they need to figure out their backcourt. They traded for Derrick Rose earlier in the season and have some young talents in Elfrid Payton and Immanuel Quickley, but they need to figure out what the future of their point guard position holds.
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Derrick Rose is going to be a free agent, as is Elfrid Payton, leaving rookie sensation Immanuel Quickley as the only true guard on this roster entering the offseason. Adding a defensive minded leader in Jrue Holiday not only makes sense for the Knicks, but puts them in the conversation to be one of the Top-4 teams in the East moving forward.
Not only could New York go after Jrue Holiday, but they would also have enough cap space to go after another All-Star, max-contract caliber player in free agency, potentially a player like DeMar DeRozan. The Knicks have been “in the running” for numerous high-level talents in free agency over the years and have struck out on all of them.
The reason that this year will be different though is because this team is finally winning and has proven that they are finally a team that is going to sustain their success for a long-time as long as Barrett and Randle are on this team. With plenty of young talents and a fantastic head coach, the Knicks are going to make some big moves this offseason, but will Jrue Holiday be a part of one?
