Free agency hasn't even started yet but the Knicks have quickly become one of the more active teams in the league. The Knicks have already traded for Derrick Rose and will reportedly sign Joakim Noah at the start of free agency. Now to complete their starting lineup, the Knicks are reportedly interested in signing Eric Gordon or Courtney Lee to be their new shooting guard.
From ESPN's Marc Stein and Ian Begley:
The Knicks have roughly $30 million to spend in free agency and hope to fit Noah into that space while keeping enough room to add a starting shooting guard. Courtney Lee and Eric Gordon are among the guards the Knicks have a level of interest in, sources say.
With Arron Affalo opting out of his contract and unlikely to re-sign in New York, the Knicks have a definite need for a shooting guard. And with the available two-guards on the market, Lee and Gordon are fine choices.
Lee may be the better option for the Knicks. He is a better defender and shoots a solid 37.8 percent from three. Lee also doesn't need the ball in his hands on offense as he's been quite successful acting as a spot-up shooter, and his ability to slash to the rim forces teams to play up on him.
Gordon could also be a solid option, though, as a new situation could be all he needs to rekindle the level of play he showed earlier in his career. Injuries have derailed Gordon's ascension; he played in just 45 games last season and he's been stuck with the injury-prone label. But at his best, Gordon can be an effective scorer and he did average 15.2 points while shooting 38.4 percent from three last season.
Showing interest in Gordon and Lee, acquiring Rose and reportedly signing Noah, the Knicks are clearly committed to upgrading their roster this offseason in order to become a playoff team once again. They may not be franchise-altering moves but it should immediately help the Knicks in the East.
