Bargain hunting in the NBA can be fun. Which, for the New York Knick is good, because bargains are all they can afford.
Armed with absolutely no cap room, the Knicks managed to make something of an offseason splash this summer. They re-signed Pablo Prigioni and an injured J.R. Smith, and traded for Andrea Bargnani. After signing summer-league standout Jeremy Tyler, New York is still eyeing Beno Udrih to increase their backcourt depth, according to ESPN New York’s Ian Begley:
New York’s top free-agent priority remains Beno Udrih, according to sources familiar with the team’s thinking.
They will bring in guard Bobby Brown for a workout in New York on Wednesday, a league source said.
…
It is believed that the Knicks will not sign another point guard until they hear from Udrih. But Brown’s deadline may force them to make a decision.
To start, Brown’s August deadline can come and pass for all I care. If Udrih is still on the market, there’s no need to make a decision. He’s worth that risk.
At the same time, signing him would be an incredible get, and therefore seemingly unlikely. Udrih made over $7 million last year; to believe the Knicks can convince him to sign for the veteran’s minimum is then a stretch.
Fortunately, it doesn’t appear that Udrih has any other significant offers on the table. If he did, the Knicks wouldn’t be able to hold out hope he’d sign, because he wouldn’t be available.
Also, with so many talented point guards in the league already, teams aren’t prepared to pay a premium for an essential backup. Few franchises, if any, have a gaping hole at the point guard position. New York is technically one of the few with an unclear combination of floor generals. Both Prigioni and Raymond are solid point men, but neither grab your attention to the point where you’re like “whoa.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jScgOrVTD4
Realistically, if the Knicks continue to run with a hybrid backcourt (likely), Udrih could find himself starting alongside Felton or Prig next season. He’s a capable distributor—6.1 assists per game after joining the Orlando Magic last season—but more importantly, he can play off the ball as well.
Per Synergy Sports (subscription required), he hit on 43.3 percent of his spot-up treys last season. For a team like the Knicks that is still built to live and die by the three ball, and are better suited with the versatility and added mobility that comes with playing two point guards at once, off-ball shooting is huge.
This all means nothing, though, if Udrih isn’t willing to take a 75-plus percent pay cut. Other suitors may not be banging down his door, but you have to imagine he would be able to find a better offer than what the Knicks are proposing, even if it isn’t a lucrative one.
Still, if the Knicks are prepared to promise him extensive playing time, say 25 minutes or more a night (if he delivers), Udrih may just consider bringing his understated talents to the Big Apple.
That, and you know, he may not have much of a choice.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
