NBA Free Agency 2018: 5 offseason targets for the New York Knicks

By Ian Levy | Jun 2, 2018

DALLAS, TX - SEPTEMBER 25: Noel Nerlens #3 of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a portrait during the Dallas Mavericks Media Day on September 25, 2017 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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DALLAS, TX – SEPTEMBER 25: Noel Nerlens #3 of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a portrait during the Dallas Mavericks Media Day on September 25, 2017 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) /

5. Nerlens Noel

Noel absolutely wore out his welcome in Dallas and enters this summer as an unrestricted free agent. He didn’t like the dollar amount the Mavericks offered him last year and now, despite his potential, he’ll be lucky to get close to that. His reputation as a malcontent has bloomed and the number of teams who will be interested will have declined.

Still, Noel has a high ceiling and his mobility and defensive skill could make a him a nice fit down the road next to Porzingis. The Knicks roster is already center heavy but Noah isn’t playing next year, O’Quinn is likely gone and Noel offers and entirely different look from Kanter. The most appealing scenario for the Knicks is the possibility of throwing a slightly inflated one-year deal at Noel, giving him the opportunity to try and earn a longer and more lucrative deal next year while still preserving flexibility for the Knicks in 2019.

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