The New York Knicks have made a number of significant moves this offseason, but there still is room on the roster for another player and after holding workouts for Gary Forbes and others, the team is looking at Earl Barron as a possible backup option.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, the team is looking to add another veteran to the roster and that could be Barron, who would return to the Knicks and the move would come after the team also brought in Jeremy Tyler and C.J. Leslie. The report says that Barron feels he can stick on the roster through camp and that the team has a chance to play for a title in the East against the Heat and the Bulls. Barron was previously with the Knicks and has played in over 100 games in his career.
Barron won a ring in 2006 with the Heat and has played in New York before and he could come back after playing 124 games over seven seasons and with 14 names already on the roster, he will have to battle. The team has $86.3 million in payroll so that means it likely would be a minimum deal. The team has mutual interest in Barron and they also like Tyler, who is just 22 and was signed to a two-year, non-guaranteed contract.
The team wants more depth up front with Tyson Chandler and Amar'e Stoudemire as well as Kenyon Martin and Barron would fit that. At 32-years-old he still can contribute in the league and he played seven games for the team in 09-10 and averaged 11.7 points and 11.0 rebounds over 33.1 minutes and last year he played in only one game and put up a 11-point, 18-rebound performance against the Hawks that could help him stick in NY.
The team has made a number of moves this offseason to help Carmelo Anthony, including signing Metta World Peace and bringing back Pablo Prigioni and JR Smith. The Knicks won the division and over 50 games last season but it will be tougher with derrick Rose returning in the East and the Nets much improved.
"But Earl wants to be a Knick. He's waiting for the Knicks to pull the trigger. He thinks that the Knicks will have a chance to win a championship, and he wants to be a part of it," the report said.
