At the end of the 2014-15′ season, Amare Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani will come off the New York Knicks books. That means for the first time in a longgg time, they will have substantial salary cap space and can make some moves during free agency. One of the biggest names that will be available is former Defensive Player of the Year, Marc Gasol. The Knicks could certainly use his help and will definitely make a run at him but it’s expected that they won’t get very far and apparently they know that too.
via New York Post:
As the Knicks plummet to the bottom of the league, a source told The Post the club doesn’t believe its chances are too good of landing the Grizzlies stud center with their 2015 cap space — not that Knicks president Phil Jackson won’t try like mad….
The Knicks’ lone edge is Gasol is best friends with point guard Jose Calderon, his teammate on Spain’s national team.
While the Knicks, who lost 90-87 to the Cavaliers Thursday night at the Garden, were confident they would land LeBron James entering 2010 free agency, they realize the odds are against them for Gasol. If he leaves Memphis, he likely will choose a title contender, not the woebegone Knicks.
Marc Gasol has slimmed down and is having a career year so far, an MVP-like season — 19.8 points a game on 50.4 percent shooting, plus is pulling down 8.2 rebounds a game. It’s believed that he won’t leave, that the Memphis Grizzlies can and will offer him a max contract (the longest & most money). If he does leave, the San Antonio Spurs remain a viable option as he would be a replacement for Tim Duncan. The Knicks are still an option however and Marc’s brother Pau says the signing is possible plus he will have the likes of Carmelo Anthony courting him.
