Knicks could improve frontcourt and hinder Celtics with one free agency move

The Athletic had an article again today for some reason. Probably more than one. I can’t say I pay very close attention. But the single thing I can be absolutely certain of (because I saw it) is that James L. Edwards III had a Knicks-related mailbag published this afternoon.

As you can imagine, there were multiple questions from New York Knicks fans about how the team might take it a step further next year. This concerned matters such as who would be the next coach, or where the current roster ranks talent-wise among the league, or (as I’d like to pay attention to here) who might be players to approach in free agency. One particular line from the article stood out: “A couple of other names to consider with the taxpayer midlevel exception are Spencer Dinwiddie, Trey Lyles and Al Horford.”

I’m sure these names are sourced, but they seem like sort of a random assortment until you remember this tweet:

So, that’s two reports from people who know things, and one mentions a maybe dwindling desire to stay with the Boston Celtics and a personal connection with Karl-Anthony Towns.

Could Al Horford be coming to the Knicks?

Well, it would be beneficial for the Knicks if he did. It would give them a two-big pairing outside of the KAT-Mitchell Robinson look. Horford has been a bench stalwart with solid team defense and a spacing presence for Boston for a while now. Putting that next to KAT could allow them to play five-out while retaining an interior presence on the defensive end.

However, this would depend on how much Horford would want to be paid or expect to be paid. The New York Knicks have the fourth-highest payroll in the league. They don’t have much spare salary to work with other than the taxpayer mid-level exception. Still, Horford figures to only want to play for contenders at this point in his career, so maybe New York can make something work.

Or the Knicks could get Dinwiddie. Why not? He has a cool name.