Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez reportedly is the latest big man whom New York Knicks president Phil Jackson is eying in free agency. According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Jackson's top free-agent targets include Lopez and Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe.
Finding a big man to anchor the Knicks' triangle offense is expected to be Jackson's No. 1 priority this offseason. Memphis Grizzlies star Marc Gasol has long been rumored to be Jackson's top target in free agency, and although Gasol hasn't ruled out signing with New York, it seems unlikely Jackson will actually land him. Seemingly aware of that, Jackson reportedly has two other targets in mind.
"Of all their needs in surrounding Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks most want a low-post center to anchor the triangle offense. Two of those potential free agents are Lopez, who has an opt-out clause and could become a free agent, and Detroit's Greg Monroe, who will play at MSG in the season finale on April 15," Berman wrote Thursday.
The Knicks' purported interest in Monroe isn't anything new, but the team's supposed interest in Lopez is. The biggest question surrounding Lopez, aside from whether the injury-prone center can stay healthy, is what he plans to do this summer. Lopez has a player option worth $16.7 million for next season, and the smart move - given his history of injuries - earlier in his season would have been to take the money.
That may no longer be the case, however. Lopez hasn't missed a game since December, and he's been playing well enough - 20.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in March, for example - to drum up a market for him in July. While no team would likely offer him anything close to the $16.7 million he can get from Brooklyn, a team would likely offer him a multi-year deal, which would provide long-term security as opposed to playing on an expiring contract and risking an injury that would kill the market for him after next season.
New York is expected to have the cap space to sign one max-level free agent and then another talented free agent in the $10-11 million range. No way does Jackson offer Lopez a max deal, but maybe Lopez, if he decides to opt out after this season, could be persuaded to take less because of the history of success big men have had in Jackson's system.
