The New York Knicks are poised to make a big splash in free agency next summer. Among the big-name players Knicks president Phil Jackson will likely target are LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, Rajon Rondo and Goran Dragic.
Limited salary cap space restricted what Jackson could do in free agency this year, but next summer will be a different story. With only $31.4 million guaranteed on the books after the season, Jackson has positioned himself to be a big spender in a summer that could have a deep free agency class.
Aldridge is on an expiring contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland wants to bring him back, but if both sides are unable to reach a deal - which at this point seems unlikely - then the Knicks would likely make a play for the power forward. If Aldridge does hit the market, how hard Jackson pushes for him could depend on what the 2016 free agency outlook for Kevin Durant looks like.
Gasol is another name the Knicks reportedly are interested in. Landing the Spaniard, though, seems unlikely given the growing belief he'll re-sign with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Rondo has routinely been mentioned as a target of the Knicks. Like Aldridge and Gasol, he's on an expiring contract. Unlike Aldridge and Gasol, there's a high probability he gets traded before the February deadline. The latest reports indicate rondo and the Boston Celtics will play out the first part of the season and see how the team does before seriously looking into trade offers.
If the team starts off poorly, Celtics president Danny Ainge would likely look to deal Rondo as to not let him walk for free in July. Because the Knicks have no assets to make a trade worthwhile for Ainge, their best - and really only - chance of landing Rondo is by convincing him to sign next summer if he becomes a free agent.
If Rondo is unavailable, and depending on how well Knicks starter Jose Calderon does in the triangle offense, Jackson could take a look at Dragic. The Phoenix Suns are unlikely to keep Dragic and Eric Bledsoe, meaning one of the guards will hit the market in July - either Dragic as a free agent when his contract expires or Bledsoe as a free agent, assuming he signs his qualifying offer this year.
