The New York Knicks are not done with their offseason.
After they extended starting forward Mikal Bridges and shored up their bench depth with the free agency signings of guard Jordan Clarkson and forward-center Guerschon Yabusele, the Knicks are still looking to add one more rotation player.
Clarkson and Yabusele will join two of Miles McBride, Josh Hart or Mitchell Robinson — depending on new coach Mike Brown’s preferred starting lineup — on the Knicks’ second unit.
If McBride is elevated to the starting lineup for a true five-man out system, the Knicks will need a reliable backup point guard.
Who Will Be the Knicks’ Backup Point Guard?
Second-year point guard Tyler Kolek might get a crack, but given the Knicks’ championship aspirations, they would need a veteran to plug in that second unit, especially in the postseason.
James Edwards III of The Athletic isn’t sure Kolek will be ready. So, he predicts the Knicks will add another point guard to round up their roster, floating four free agents to keep an eye on.
“I’m expecting New York to use its veteran’s minimum spot on the point guard position, with names like Simmons, Malcolm Brogdon, Delon Wright and Monté Morris worth monitoring,” Edwards wrote.
Bigger Names, Bigger Risks
GettyKnicks target Ben Simmons
Simmons has been on the Knicks’ radar since the start of the NBA free agency, per SNY’s Ian Begley. A former No. 1 pick and three-time All-Star, Simmons is the biggest name among the four free point guards.
But the 6-foot-10 Simmons has fallen off the cliff since he left Philadelphia over mental health and mysterious back issues. His once promising career went south in Brooklyn.
Last season, he averaged 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists in his final 33 games in Brooklyn. He only played 17 games for the Clippers and was an afterthought, averaging career-lows 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
Simmons, though, is the best defender of the bunch.
Brogdon was a former Rookie of the Year like Simmons. But what sets him apart is that he has a more complete game.
However, Brogdon is a walking injury risk. He is coming off an injury-riddled season that saw him have the second-lowest scoring in his career after playing for only 24 games.
Injuries have derailed his once-promising career. He has not played over 70 games since his rookie season.
Since the Boston Celtics shipped him to Portland in 2023, Brogdon has only played in 63 games across the last two seasons. He was sidelined by a left ankle sprain for the final 28 games. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 12.7 points while shooting a career-worst 28.6% from the three-point line, 4.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game for the rebuilding Washington Wizards.
Role Playing Veterans
Getty Delon Wright defends Pascal Siakam during the Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers.
On the other hand, Wright was solid on defense during his stint with the Knicks last season. He averaged 4.3 points and 2.1 assists off the bench across 14 games after he arrived midseason in exchange for third-string center Jericho Sims. But his lack of a 3-point shot — 33.3% in the regular season and 16.7% in the playoffs — kept him glued to the bench.
Morris has not been relevant since he was a starter for the Denver Nuggets during the 2021-22 season when he averaged a career-high 12.6 points and 4.4 assists. The 30-year-old guard has bounced around four teams since then.
Last season, Morris averaged 5.2 points and 1.6 assists for the Phoenix Suns.
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