At the end of the regular season, Andrea Bargnani expressed interest in returning to the New York Knicks next season. The power forward's stint with the franchise had been marred by injuries and an over-priced contract, but he came on well at the end of the season which left many to believe he could be a quality option to re-sign for cheap. However, the Knicks loaded up on size in free agency, that Bargnani is likely not coming back to the Big Apple.
The Knicks have size. The team drafted Kristaps Porzingis. Then they signed Robin Lopez and Derrick Williams to the roster which shold round out their starters and bench players for the position. So where does that leave Bargnani? According to ESPN New York's Ian Begley, Phil Jackson has considered the idea of bringing back Bargnani, but only on a veteran's minimum deal. Bargnani would have to be willing to accept a lot less money than he earned last season with one of the biggest contracts on the team.
Interest in Bargnani has been quiet. Right now he is preparing to play overseas for the summer while waiting for interest from an NBA team. The Knicks could actually use one more big man on the roster. They currently have just Lopez signed as the true center of the team. Getting Bargnani in for depth would not be the worst idea, although Knicks' fans might not be thrilled at the notion.
The Knicks could also be entering the trade market this offseason. The last question mark is the future of Jose Calderon. According to the New York Post, the Knicks could still seek out a deal for Calderon as Jackson would ideally like to get rid of his contract on the pay roll. New York will likely operate with Langston Galloway as their starter while rookie Jerian Grant works in for depth. Calderon might find himself as the third option.
Several teams still need a point guard. The Houston Rockets re-signed Patrick Beverley, but need depth. The Dallas Mavericks are eyeing Jeremy Lin, but Calderon returning could be better. Jackson would really have to lower his expectations on what he intends to receive in exchange for Calderon if a deal were to get done.
