Potential Free Agents Targets for the Knicks

With the start of free agency officially just a day away, here are 15 players that New York could target at or below the MLE: 

Donte DiVincenzo - Golden State Warriors - Player Option:

Let's start here, as there has been a ton of buzz over the past few days/weeks about the Knicks making a run at DiVincenzo once he declined his player option (worth $4.7 million) and became an unrestricted free agent. Most recently, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported "growing noise among league personnel about DiVincenzo joining former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart in New York." 

DiVincenzo had to settle for the taxpayer mid-level exception ($4.5 million) last summer but boosted his value in 2022-23 by shooting a career-high 39.7% from behind the arc and dishing out 3.5 assists per game (vs. just 1.6 turnovers).

New York pursuing DiVincenzo makes sense, and not just because of his close championship ties with Brunson and Hart. DiVincenzo would help stretch the floor and provide spacing for the Knicks, which they need after their lack of three-point prowess crippled them in their second-round series vs. Miami. He was also a solid defender for Golden State, as the Dubs allowed 110.6 points per 100 possessions with him on the court, vs. 113.6 with DiVincenzo on the bench. 

However, it's important to note that DiVincenzo was forced to settle for less than $5 million last offseason because he had failed to live up to expectations in Milwaukee and then Sacramento. Across 42 games with the Bucks and Kings in 2021-22, he shot just 35% from the floor and posted a poor assist-to-turnover ratio (2.8-to-1.7). Over the first three years of his career, DiVincenzo shot below 35% from three-point range. Thus, it's fair to wonder how much of his career-high accuracy from downtown this past season was directly related to playing alongside Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Will he regress to the mean once he leaves the Bay? 

As far as salary is concerned (the most the Warriors can offer DiVincenzo is a contract starting at $5.4 million and up to four years, for a total of $23.2 million over the life of the contract), DiVincenzo will likely have offers from multiple clubs for the non-taxpayer mid-level exception salary of $12.4 million. New York can get there, or very close to that number, if Josh Hart opts into the final year of his contract (and simultaneously signs an extension) and New York waives the non-guaranteed contracts of DaQuan Jeffries and Isaiah Roby. However, if the Knicks bring back Hart, pick up Deuce McBride's team option and don't make any other moves, where will DiVincenzo's minutes come from? Coach Tom Thibodeau was determined to stick to a 9-man rotation last season. Would he be more willing to play ten guys in 2023-24? Even if so, DiVincenzo would have opportunities for more consistent minutes and likely a more prominent role elsewhere.

Grant Williams - Boston Celtics - Restricted:

With the Celtics trading for Kristaps Porzingis (and then drafting six-foot-seven-inch forward Jordan Walsh out of Arkansas), Williams may have played his final game for the C's. Williams averaged career-highs in points (8.1), rebounds (4.6) and assists (1.7) in 2022-23, but his production dipped in the postseason, as he averaged just 5.1 points and 2.2 rebounds in 17.7 minutes per game. However, Williams has played well in big spots before. In Boston's Game 7 victory over Milwaukee in 2022, Williams poured in a career-high 27 points and knocked down seven three-pointers. Over the Celtics' first 14 games in that postseason, he averaged 11.2 points while shooting 43.5% from downtown and 83.9% from the free-throw stripe.

Just as importantly, Williams prides himself on playing tough, physical defense. And as we know, that's the way to Tom Thibodeau's heart (and a spot in his rotation). The Knicks have been rumored to be considering parting ways with backup power Forward Obi Toppin. If New York does trade Obi, Williams would be an ideal fit on that second unit.