NBA Free Agency 2017: 5 offseason targets for the New York Knicks

Feb 1, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Joakim Noah (13) and forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) react from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

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March 15, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Tony Snell (21) moves in to score a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Tony Snell, Milwaukee Bucks

Despite underwhelming with the Bulls for the first three years of his career, the Bucks took a flier on Snell as part of a package to unload Michael Carter-Williams last summer. He looked like an ideal rotation fit next to the Bucks’ young core, and his cost was low. But after Khris Middleton was injured early in the year, Snell was thrust into a much larger role. In 29 minutes per game, Snell averaged nearly double-digit points and made over 40 percent of his 3s. It was more than Milwaukee possibly could have hoped for out of the fourth-year wing.

Snell enters free agency on the back of this spectacular season. Last we saw him, the 25-year-old was contributing for Milwaukee in the playoffs. It’s hard to overstate how far this guy came in one year. The possibility of a fluke or a small sample size is concerning, but a player this young who fit so well on the Bucks’ roster makes those concerns less valid. Snell is ready to bring value on his next contract.

It’s difficult to project big men into a triangle offense, but generally wings and guards need the same skills to excel in Phil Jackson’s triangle as they do to impact a pick-and-roll team. Whichever system wins out in New York, Snell will be valuable. Besides his shooting ability, he can put the ball on the ground and share within an offense. He can develop off the ball into his late twenties, but a long defender who can shoot and dribble is a solid recipe for a productive NBA player. In fact, we don’t really have to dream up a recipe. Like I’ve been saying, Snell has already proven to be quite productive.

Think of a Snell signing, which would probably land around a $10 million average annual value, as a replacement for Vujacic and Holiday. Adding Snell to the wing rotation would start to give New York an identity at the position, with Courtney Lee’s and Lance Thomas’s arms already prominent parts of the Knicks’ identity. These are the kinds of players you try to add if you have cap room in the modern NBA. Every team needs versatility if they hope to defend the league’s best offenses, and shooting if they expect to score against elite defense. Now more than ever, 3-and-D reigns.

Snell’s price may be high, perhaps even about half of New York’s cap space, but he will be worth the check.

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