The New York Knicks are still looking for a player to sign for the veteran’s minimum. A big target has reentered the market this week in Malik Beasley, but after making a pair of signings earlier this offseason, the Knicks might not be in a position to sign him realistically.
Knicks unlikely to land Malik Beasley in free agency
The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy noted that despite the Knicks maintaining interest in last year’s Sixth Man of the Year runner-up, adding him is still a long shot.
“Beasley, perhaps the top unrestricted free agent on the market, should have more lucrative options than the Knicks, who only have the veteran’s minimum to spend,” Bondy wrote. “It makes them a long shot considering multiple teams — including the Pistons, Nets, Pacers and Kings, among others — can offer considerably more money.”
Entering the offseason, Beasley was one of the top free agents on the market, and he had a three-year, $42 million offer on the table to return to the Detroit Pistons. However, shortly after free agency began, Beasley became the subject of an FBI investigation into gambling, which forced the Pistons to sign potential replacements.
Earlier this week, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Beasley was no longer considered a target by the FBI and is cleared of any wrongdoing.
Beasley will likely seek a bigger deal elsewhere
New York would be a great fit for Beasley, as his shooting prowess would be super beneficial for Mike Brown’s offense. He shot 41.6% from three last season and averaged 16 points per game. Beasley was also second in total three-pointers made, behind only Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.
While it’s not totally out of the realm of possibilities that Beasley would sign for the minimum, it is highly unlikely that they will be able to convince him if other lucrative offers come his way. Realistically, if the Knicks want to land the sharpshooter, they will have to open up cap space by making a trade or two, and that may not be in their best interest.
New York has signed Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele this summer to enhance their depth, and their starters from last season are all expected to return. They have a strong enough team as currently constructed to win a title, so they don’t “need” to bring in Beasley to make a difference.
While adding Beasley to a title-contending group would be a dream, it is realistically highly unlikely to happen due to their current financial situation.