New York Knicks and team president Phil Jackson. With a ..."/> New York Knicks and team president Phil Jackson. With a ..."/> New York Knicks and team president Phil Jackson. With a ..."/>

Knicks president Phil Jackson won’t hinder cap space in 2015

By Chris Walder | Jun 21, 2014

Mar 18, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks new president of basketball operations Phil Jackson (second from left) poses for a photo with Walt Frazier (left) , Dick Barnett (second from right) and Peter DeBussure at a press conference at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports /

The 2014-15 offseason could be a major turning point for the New York Knicks and team president Phil Jackson. With a projected lottery pick and $50 million of cap space to work with, there’s plenty to be optimistic about.

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If you think Jackson will jeopardize any of that by making lopsided deals, you’ve got another thing coming.

Marcus Thompson of The Mercury News recently reported that the Golden State Warriors would be willing to part with both David Lee and Harrison Barnes to acquire Tyson Chandler from the Knicks, even though his source informed him that the deal would likely never get any legs under it.

The only upside for the Warriors is that it would clear the team of Lee’s contract, which has two years and $30 million remaining. Chandler’s contract only has one year and $15 million remaining. It’s simple math.

It still wouldn’t net the Warriors enough cap room to sign an elite talent in free agency, as Thompson points out in his piece:

"This trade would net about $3 million off the Warriors salary cap. They are currently at about $64.6 million for 2014-15. Even if the salary cap takes the $5 million jump everyone expects (to about $63M), the Warriors would still be over the cap. Which means after pulling off the move, the Warriors would be in the same situation: over-the-cap, only armed with the mid-level exception."

Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal notes on his Twitter account that Jackson would never, ever consider any trade that would take away his future financial flexibility.

The Knicks finished 2013-14 with a 37-45 record, missing out on the NBA playoffs by just one game. With Carmelo Anthony potentially leaving over the summer, next season may be full of gloom and doom. If it’s any consolation, the following offseason could turn things around quickly.