Every team in the league wants Kevin Durant. The Oklahoma City Thunder star has an expiring contract and will be a free agent this offseason which will likely send the league into a frenzy. Durant has stated that his options are wide open and he will consider everything when looking at where to sign for the next few years. The New York Knicks are hoping to be a team at the top of his list, but the chances the franchise can make it work are slim.
The Knicks want big fish in free agency. Phil Jackson is planning on going to work in hopes of targeting a few marquee players to help Carmelo Anthony win a championship. The Knicks will enter free agency with $18 million to work with. They could potentially increase that to $27 million if they are able to dump off contracts to Derrick Williams and Jose Calderon. The Knicks will have to spend wisely which means Durant might not be the realistic option Jackson was looking for.
While Durant is at the top of Jackson's list, the coaching uncertainty and lack of money means Durant is not headed to New York. The Knicks would simply have to get too creative with their roster to land the Thunder star. If the Knicks were to sign Durant, they would not be able to afford an elite point guard which is potentially the bigger need. Instead, the Knicks would be wise to pass on Durant and focus their efforts elsewhere.
Rajon Rondo and Mike Conley will be the targets instead of Durant. The Knicks need someone to replace the struggles of Calderon, Jerian Grant and Langston Galloway. This year, the point guard position was the team's weakest spot on the court. It has held the offense back more times than not. While Conley and Rondo will be costly, they are a wise investment to help Anthony. According to the franchise star, he has already started talking to Rondo.
"I think Rondo - just me personally, I don't want to be tampering - but I've heard he said he wouldn't thrive in a system like this," Anthony said. "I think he'd be perfect in a system like this."
While Rondo is not sold on joining the Knicks, Dwight Howard is. However, like Durant he is unrealistic as well. Howard has reportedly told friends he is interested in heading to New York, but there is not a need for him at the moment. The Knicks appear satisfied with Robin Lopez and Kristaps Porzingis at the moment meaning there is not space on the court for the current Houston Rockets center.
A point guard will come first for the Knicks. After that, Jackson could aim to chase role players to help with depth. Durant and Howard do not fit the current picture for the franchise regardless of how much fans might want to see them in New York.
