Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll likes the idea of signing with the New York Knicks in free agency. The soon-to-be free agent said the Knicks would "most definitely" be one of the teams he considers signing with in July, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
New York is likely gearing up for what will be a busy offseason, when team president Phil Jackson will have around $21 million in cap space - the most he's ever had since taking over the franchise last year - to reshape the roster. While ex-Knicks president Donnie Walsh may believe the allure of the Big Apple is overrated, there's at least one soon-to-be free agent who disagrees.
"Most definitely,'' Carroll told The Post when asked if the Knicks would be a high consideration. "When guys talk about playing in certain places - they talk about Madison Square Garden and Staples Center. Those two places. New York has a lot to offer but at the end of the season, I'll let my agent do that. We'll keep our options and hopefully it will work out for the best.''
According to Berman, first-year coach Derek Fisher is a fan of the defensive-minded Carroll, who could likely be signed for around $5 million annually. Carroll, who's averaging 12.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this season, had been a journeyman until finding his niche with Atlanta last season.
If New York were to sign Carroll, team president Phil Jackson would still have enough cap space to offer a max deal to another player. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reported over the weekend that a deal with soon-to-be free agent Greg Monroe was "as close to a done deal as you can get."
Other free agents on the Knicks' purported wish list include Rajon Rondo, Marc Gasol, Goran Dragic, Tobias Harris, Reggie Jackson and Kevin Love.
