New York Knicks president Phil Jackson's No. 1 priority in the offseason reportedly will be acquiring a talented center. Charley Rosen, a close friend and confidant of Jackson, believes soon-to-be free agent Greg Monroe is a better fit than Kentucky freshman Karl-Anthony Towns, whom many expect to declare for the 2015 NBA draft.
About the only thing most Knicks fans can look forward to this season is the steady stream of rumors about whom Jackson wants to acquire in the offseason. According to Rosen, Jackson No. 1 goal will be adding a talented, "wide-bodied" center to the roster.
"They need a center with a big butt to hold space,'' Rosen told Marc Berman of the New York Post. "They didn't have anybody like that. It takes away a major portion of what you can do with the triangle because then it really becomes just a perimeter offense.''
The Knicks are currently the worst team in the league, and they'll likely head into the offseason with a 25 percent chance of drawing the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery. Rosen admitted he hasn't seen much of Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor, but what he saw from Towns convinced him the Kentucky center wasn't the right fit for Jackson's triangle offense.
"Towns is not a big enough body. He'd never get that position in the NBA," Rosen said. "He doesn't have enough power or core strength. He wouldn't be able to set up one dribble away from the basket. He's not a kind of center you need in the triangle. He's not physically that type of center, but he's athletic and does other things. Look how far out (Lou) Amundson, (Jason) Smith and (Andrea) Bargnani get pushed out when they post up, well out of the box.''
Okafor is projected to be the No. 1 pick of the draft, and Jackson would likely snag him - even if just to trade him down the road like the Cavaliers did this summer with Andrew Wiggins - if he lands the first overall pick.
Rosen went on to indicate his old friend would be better pursuing Monroe in free agency as the starting center.
"He can score down there,'' Rosen said. "He's big, can hold his ground in the post, is left-handed, which holds an advantage to do unexpected things. He can establish position, has good hands and he's a pretty good passer. He'd be a great fit.''
The latest report on Monroe, who's currently sidelined with a knee injury, indicated he was actually reconsidering Detroit as an option after the season. With the Pistons likely to sign guard Reggie Jackson to a max contract, though, New York and its projected $21 million in cap space may become the more attractive option this summer if receiving a big payday is what's most important to Monroe.
As for Rosen's remarks as a whole, he appears spot on. Phil's No. 1 target in free agency this summer reportedly has been Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol, who recently said he hadn't ruled out signing with the Knicks in July. With all signs pointing to Memphis as the frontrunner to re-sign him, however, Jackson will likely look first to the draft - namely Okafor, if he's on still on the board - for an answer at the 5-spot.
