Knicks Sign James Singleton, Cut Kurt Thomas

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News first reported that the Knicks were interested in the 31-year-old Singleton, who has spent five seasons in the league with three different teams.

Knicks close to reaching deal with free agent forward James Singleton the Daily News has learned. A player, likely Kurt Thomas, must be cut

— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) April 10, 2013

Not long after, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com confirmed that New York had indeed reached in agreement with Singleton:

The New York Knicks have come to an agreement with free agent James Singleton, according to a league source.

…

The Knicks will need to cut a player on their 15-man roster once their agreement with Singleton, 33, becomes official. The New York Daily News first reported the Knicks were close to a deal with Singleton on Wednesday.

Singleton should help offset injuries to the Knicks’ front line. Tyson Chandler (bulging disk in neck) and Kenyon Martin (left ankle sprain) will miss at least the next two games because of their injuries.

Marcus Camby is doubtful for Thursday’s game against Chicago because of plantar fascia in his left foot. So the Knicks need help on the front line as soon as possible.

There’s no doubt that the Knicks needed size. Tyson Chandler, Rasheed Wallace, Kenyon Martin, Kurt Thomas and Amar’e Stoudemire are all banged up, and with the playoffs on the horizon, grabbing some additional post help was a must.

Singleton is 6’8″, with a career average of 3.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. His presence will likely limit the amount of time the Knicks have to use Carmelo Anthony, Chris Copeland and even Steve Novak at center.

As Isola and Begley both noted, the Knicks needed to cut someone to make room for Singleton, and that someone was, in fact, Kurt Thomas.

Kurt Thomas will be released to create a roster spot for James Singleton, Daily News has learned. KT will have right foot surgery next week

— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) April 10, 2013

Showing Thomas the door isn’t bittersweet, it’s just bitter. The 40-year-old Thomas was headed for foot surgery, so the decision was a (relatively) obvious one, but that doesn’t mean it was easy. Thomas played on a battered foot against the Utah Jazz, putting forth an inspiring performance that helped start New York’s 13-game win streak.

Most will be wondering: Why Singleton? He’s only 6’8″, is he really the type of body the Knicks need? Why not someone bigger?

Well, the Knicks bled the big-man market dry this season, signing Wallace and Martin. There really aren’t any playoff-eligible centers available capable of having an impact. Singleton at least provides some guaranteed rebounding.

With that in mind, the Knicks have to be hoping that Chandler, Martin and even Stoudemire can all be healthy for the playoffs. New York isn’t (likely) to get past the Miami Heat or even Indiana Pacers without a more altruistic post presence. Even Stoudemire’s defense would be a welcomed commodity at this point. Not because he’s a superior defender (he isn’t), but because he’s a more towering body, who stands to block more shots than a combination of Singleton, ‘Melo, Novak and Copeland.

This is just the latest in what has been a turbulent season for the Knicks. They find themselves sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, but have had to deal with an inordinate number of injuries.

As the season winds down, it will be interesting to see if the roster holds up or manages to get healthier. Or, worse, if injuries ultimately stand to cripple the Knicks’ postseason aspirations.