The New York Knicks have serious rebuilding to do when the offseason approaches. The team has already started the effort by getting rid of players like Tyson Chandler, Amar'e Stoudemire, Iman Shumpert and JR Smith. However, the holes on the roster are huge at this point which is showing as the team sits with one of the worst records in the NBA. Free agency will be fruitful for the Knicks as they have money to burn and a point guard appears to be the main priority.
The Knicks are doing their best to keep their heads above water after Carmelo Anthony was ruled out for the remainder of the season. The team are winners of two straight games after defeating the Toronto Raptors, but the playoffs are no longer in the picture and team president Phil Jackson is more concerned with future roster moves instead. Outside of Anthony, Tim Hardaway Jr might be safe along with Langston Galloway and Lou Amundson. Outside of them, anyone is up for grabs including Jose Calderon as the team favors Rajon Rondo in free agency.
The Dallas Mavericks might get the first crack at contract negotiations with Rondo in the upcoming offseason, but according to ESPN.com, a return is not expected. Rondo made headlines last week for all the wrong reasons after a shouting match with head coach Rich Carlisle was made public. Rondo insists all is good right now, but he might not feel that way again when his contract expires.
"I just got built-up frustration," said Rondo, via ESPN.com. "I take a lot of the blame for what I've been doing on the court, but just a little frustrated. The most important thing is communication with Coach. I've talked to a lot of the coaches, I've talked to a lot of staff members. Coach and I, when I first got here, we were talking a lot and watching film after every game. He's backed off a little bit with the addition of Amar'e [Stoudemire], trying to help get him up to speed. Our communication was great at first. Not that it wasn't so great, but it's just that we weren't communicating enough. That shouldn't be the case the rest of the season."
According to Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News, the Mavericks are already making their offseason wish list in case Rondo heads elsewhere. The New York Knicks have the money to give the point guard what he wants and will do their best to acquire him in free agency. That will leave the Mavericks looking elsewhere and Cowlishaw reports that Goran Dragic and Brandon Knight have their attention.
Rondo would be a solid building piece for the Knicks. Calderon has never been viewed as a future player for the team. Jackson was disappointed he could not trade the point guard before the deadline, but is hoping to have better luck in the offseason. With Calderon headed out, the door is open for Rondo.
