The New York Knicks are being very aggressive so far in transforming this team under Phil Jackson's leadership and Jeff Hornacek's coaching. After having a big summer a year ago by drafting Kristaps Porzingis and signing the duo of Robin Lopez and Arron Afflalo to put next to Carmelo Anthony, they've already pivoted and sent Lopez, Jose Calderon, and Jerian Grant to the Chicago Bulls for Derrick Rose and Justin Holiday. They're banking on Rose being healthy enough to regain his pre-injury form and get the Knicks back to the postseason.
Jackson could be banking on another Bulls player to help continue the transformation of this roster. Joakim Noah is a free agent this summer and while he has played his entire career for Chicago, it looks like he could be relocating this summer. The Knicks apparently would love to make him their starting center to fill the absence of Lopez, as Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. Noah is their top target this summer.
The Knicks are desperate for a starting center -- their top target is Joakim Noah -- and a starting shooting guard after the Derrick Rose blockbuster. They are also desperate to fill out a 15-man roster within the confines of the salary cap. They have just five players under contract.
If Noah is healthy, he's one of the most impactful big men in the league. His defensive leadership and prowess is hard to match. He's incredible at defending inside. He's incredible at defending the pick-and-roll. He communicates as well as any big man in the NBA. He's also a very smart passer and offensive player to help the ball movement and player movement Jackson loves for his teams to have.
Could this mean the Knicks don't really believe they can be players for a major free agent? Last year, they punted on the idea of offering Greg Monroe the max, which took them out of the sweepstakes for him. There have been thoughts they'd approach Dwight Howard and Kevin Durant about filling that next max money spot they'll have open with roughly $35 million in cap space if they renounce the rights to their free agents. Noah is a more practical free agent target, but not quite as flashy as trying to get Howard or obviously Durant.
