New York: The City That Always Reaches
(Jonathan Bachman / Associated Press)
The New York Knicks have seemingly become synonymous with questionable roster moves over the past couple of decades. The Knicks made a surprising playoff appearance in the 2020-21 season but returned to their old ways in the 2021-22 season, ending the season with a sub-.500 record. The team made their “big-time” free agent signing on the first day of free agency as they signed former Mavericks point Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract. Brunson just came off his best season with the Mavericks; however, the Knicks might have been too overly anxious to get their guy.
The Knicks started the offseason with a lot of confusion in the draft after they traded away the No. 11 pick (Ousmane Dieng) to the Thunder, the No. 13 pick (Jalen Duren), and guard Kemba Walker to the Pistons. However, amid the confusion, the team did manage to get two 2023 first-round picks, one via Washington and the other via Detroit, and a 2025 first-round pick via Milwaukee. The transactions also helped clear $18 million in cap space, which allowed the Knicks to sign Brunson.
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Brunson’s dad, Rick Brunson, was hired as an assistant coach for the Knicks, so it was premeditated that such a move would come. However, despite Brunson having a good season, did it warrant a four-year, $104 million contract? Unfortunately, New York’s history has been rich in bad free agency signings.
Back in the summer of 2016, the Knicks signed free-agent center Joakim Noah to a four-year, $72 million contract. Noah only played 53 games under that contract, and his tenure ended early. However, despite being released on October 13, 2018, the Knicks had his contract on the books until the 2021-22 season.
In 2006, forward Jared Jeffries signed a five-year deal for $30 million. The contract does not seem like much nowadays, but back in the day, this meant starter money. As a starter, Jeffries did not produce, let alone as a Knick. During his stint with the New York team, he averaged 4.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He had an underwhelming stint with them, considering his contract value. This move might not have happened during the free agency period, but it cannot be glossed over when talking about bad Knicks signings.
There's also the now-infamous Lamar Odom signing back in 2014. Odom was dealing with multiple personal and physical issues at the time. And although he was brought on in the final week of the NBA regular season and was released a couple of months later, the move left many utterly confused.
Brunson is an improving 25-year-old guard and showed flashes of brilliance during the Mavericks' postseason run this year. He kept the team afloat when star Luka Doncic missed some games due to injury during their first-round series against the Utah Jazz. There is no question that Brunson has talent. The question is more about how his time with the Knicks will pan out. History has not been on the New York Knicks’ side as of late, but only time will tell.
