NBA Rumors: New York Knicks View Mike Conley As Top Priority
The New York Knicks haven’t been viewed as a serious championship contender over the past few seasons and Phil Jackson is doing everything in his power to turn that around. He brought in new head coach Jeff Hornacek and will be looking to make a major splash when the offseason rolls around.
Perhaps the biggest need that the Knicks have this offseason will be finding a true point guard to lead the team.
Ian Begley of ESPN.com believes that the Knicks will view Mike Conley as a top priority this offseason. He also mentions that Los Angeles Lakers’ restricted free agent Jordan Clarkson could be a player of interest. Both of those players would be major upgrades for the Knicks and would help them get back to playoff contention.
Throughout the course of the 2015-16 NBA regular season, Conley struggled with some injury issues. He ended up missing the Memphis Grizzlies’ playoff run due to those nagging injuries.
Despite the injury problems, Conley ended up averaging 15.3 points, 6.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game. He shot 42.2 percent from the field overall and knocked down 36.3 percent of his three-point attempts. New York would be lucky to bring in a talent like Conley and he would more than fix the issues that they have had at the point guard position.
At 28-years-old, Conley is without question capable of being the Knicks’ long-term point guard. He is in his prime and will be in his prime throughout the duration of the next deal that he signs.
If the Knicks do want to bring Conley on board, they will have to offer him a max contract. They have some money to spend, although there are many other holes that they will have to fill during free agency. How well Conley would fit playing alongside of Carmelo Anthony is another question that is difficult to answer.
Looking ahead at the upcoming offseason, it will be entertaining to watch the chase for Conley. There are already many different teams lining up to try and bring the star point guard on board. Memphis will do everything in their power to re-sign Conley, while the Indiana Pacers are also expected to pursue the Indiana native.
While the Knicks haven’t been able to land a big free agent in recent years, they are still an attractive destination. Conley will likely be intrigued by the possibility of playing at Madison Square Garden for one of the most storied franchises in the league. Jackson’s presence will help lure free agents as well.
All of that being said, Conley will be a name to keep an eye on this offseason. New York will be very aggressive in their pursuit of a point guard and Conley seems to be the best fit. Jackson joined the Knicks to get them back to being a championship caliber team and signing Conley will help them get to that point.
Do you think the New York Knicks should make Mike Conley their top free agency priority? Would he be the missing piece that helps get them back into the postseason? Let us know in the comment box below!
[AP Photo/Brandon Dill]
