New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony is apparently "very much" involved in the Knicks' free agency plans for this summer. New York, meanwhile, is expected to pursue the usual list of suspects: Kevin Love, Marc Gasol, Greg Monroe, Rajon Rondo and Goran Dragic, along with a handful of others.
Anthony is done for the season, but he's still "very much" involved with the organization. According to Knicks general manager Steve Mills, Anthony is keeping in contact with the team's front office about its plans for free agency in July.
"(Anthony) is very much a part of the process of trying to understand what we're looking for, how we're going to go about it," Mills said Thursday, via the New York Post. "I'm actually happy he's doing a little better (rehabbing) so I don't have three-hour visits to my office to go over rosters and know about his players. He's very active in understanding what we're trying to do, willing and interested in participating.''
The Knicks are expected to have around $20 million in cap space to use this summer, and they've been linked to just about every player set to become a free agent after the season. Gasol is believed to be the team's top target, with Love, Monroe, Rondo and Dragic all following on the proverbial list.
Gasol hasn't ruled out signing with New York in the offseason, but he's widely expected to re-sign with Memphis and has indicated he prefers to stay put. Given Knicks president Phil Jackson's need for a low-post center, Monroe - if New York doesn't land either Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns in the draft - is considered Jackson's next best bet.
Jackson is also expected to explore the possibility of snagging Love, Rondo and Dragic. All three players are expected to test the free-agent market after the season, and the allure of the Big Apple and Jackson's 11 championship rings, along with the promise of a big pay day, could be enough to convince one of them to sign with the lottery-bound Knicks.
Other targets in free agency reportedly include Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson and Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez.
