The NBA Offseason is here, and the New York Knicks have already made one major move. The Knicks landed Derrick Rose and Justin Holiday in exchange for Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant and Jose Calderon. But the Knicks aren't done yet. They still have cap space to make a few notable moves and need to fill out the rest of the roster. With that in mind, here are the three biggest Knicks storylines to watch for during the 2016 NBA offseason.
3. Can They Actually Land Durant?
This is the first priority for the Knicks and also the one that will likely get done first. The Knicks should end up with a meeting with Durant, but convincing him to come to New York will be tricky. Don't expect Durant to end up in New York, even though they'll try. Once Durant signs with the Thunder, Warriors, Spurs or whatever team he picks, the Knicks will turn their attention to their two biggest needs
2. Which Center Do They Add?
Adding a center is the easier of the two offseason tasks left for the Knicks. Lopez is in Chicago, leaving the Knicks without a staring center. Joakim Noah is the favorite to join Rose in New York, but players like Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol are also options. Landing a high-priced player like Hassan Whiteside or Al Horford seems unlikely, leaving the Knicks in the Tier 2 range of big men.
1. Who Do They Get For Bench Help?
The Knicks have no depth at the moment. In addition to Rose, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis, the Knicks have just big man Kyle O'Quinn and Holiday on the roster. The Knicks are expected to bring back Derrick Williams, Lance Thomas and Cleanthony Early (a RFA), which will help solidify the front court. But the backcourt is in need of help, with only Langston Galloway likely to return. Arron Afflalo is expected to leave, and there's no guarantee the rest of the free agents will return either. Rose isn't a great 3-point shooter or defender, and the Knicks will need to find one or two shooting guards that can provide that. A player like Jamal Crawford makes sense, assuming he's not too pricey. Other guards like Gerald Henderson or D.J. Augustin could be cheap and provide some depth. Marvin Williams and Kent Bazemore might be too pricey, but they fit the 3-and-D mold the Knicks need. Eric Gordon has battled injuries, but he's provide a needed scoring boost off the bench. If the Knicks want to truly compete in the East, they're going to need to find some serious upgrades for their bench in free agency.