Detroit Pistons big man Greg Monroe reportedly plans to sign with the New York Knicks as a free agent after the season. The New York Daily News reported Monroe is the primary free-agent target for Knicks president Phil Jackson, with a contract between the two sides "about as close to done as you can get."
Jackson has apparently given up on signing Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol and now has his eyes set on Monroe, based on what the Daily News reported Saturday. Even more, a deal between Monroe and the Knicks is apparently all but signed.
Per Frank Isola of the Daily News:
"Maybe the worst kept secret in the NBA is that Phil Jackson plans to pursue Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe in free agency this summer. In fact, one league executive called it 'about as close to a done deal as you can get.'
"A done deal is illegal of course and would open Jackson and the Knicks to tampering charges. A more likely scenario is that representatives from both parties have made their interest known and will proceed accordingly once the free-agent recruiting period begins on July 1st. It happens all the time."
Monroe, whom Isola called the "primary" free-agent target of Jackson, has been routinely mentioned as one of the Knicks' top targets in free agency this summer. Jackson needs a rim-protector, and Monroe is the second-best big hitting the market in July.
Assuming Monroe signing with New York is a sure thing, it'll be interesting to see what Jackson does in the upcoming NBA draft. Everything depends on what pick the Knicks get in the lottery, but if Jackson were to land a high pick, would he go with a frontline of Monroe, Carmelo Anthony and Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns, or would he upgrade his backcourt by drafting a point guard like D'Angelo Russell or Emmanuel Mudiay?
My money would be on the latter. The top 1-guards on the market this summer - Rajon Rondo, Goran Dragic and Reggie Jackson - all are unlikely to end up in New York. Rondo appears to be a lock to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, and both Dragic and Reggie appear likely to re-sign with their respective teams, the Miami Heat and the Pistons.
Given the Knicks' lack of assets, trading for a point guard after the season isn't likely to happen either.
New York is projected to have around $21 million in cap space this summer. Other free agents the Knicks reportedly like include Kevin Love, Brook Lopez and Tobias Harris.
