Lance Thomas has, in all likelihood, played his last game for the New York Knicks this season.
And perhaps his last game ever for them.
Per the New York Daily News‘ Stefan Bondy:
Glue guy Lance Thomas is likely done for the season, leaving the Knicks with 59 appearances to assess his value as a free agent.
Thomas, 27, who went undrafted out of Duke and was acquired by the Knicks in a trade last year, sprained his knee while warming up on March 8 but was expected to return before the season finale. Interim coach Kurt Rambis threw cold water on that idea Sunday, just before the Knicks (31-47) lost to the Pacers and fell to 6-13 this season without Thomas.
“I don’t anticipate him being back,” Rambis said. “He’s made some progress but it’s not at the pace that would indicate he’s going to be back. We’re still hopeful. He can do some things well and some things not so well.”
Thomas’ absence matters. The Knicks aren’t competing for a playoff spot, but he’s in the middle of a career year and slated for free agency this summer.
There’s no telling what Thomas’ market value is at this point. He was often tasked with defending the opposition’s toughest perimeter assignment and is shooting better than 40 percent from beyond the arc.
Free-agent aggressors will pay a pretty penny for that three-and-D potential. Thomas isn’t on the same level as, say, Kent Bazemore, but he should still command $8 million or more annually.
That puts the Knicks in a predicament. They don’t own Thomas’ full Bird rights. Any money they give him over the league’s average salary will eat into their cap space, so it will be very easy for another suitor to poach him out of New York if they’re so inclined.
Will that happen? Will the Knicks swoop in and keep him? Might Thomas’ market value be worse than we think?
July will tell.
