WHO CAN IT BE NOW?
With free agency approaching, will a big end up in a Knicks jersey?
LAMARCUS Aldridge or Marc Gasol would upgrade the Knicks immediately and would bring a smile to Carmelo Anthony’s face, but the odds of Phil Jackson landing one of those prized free agents are remote. A second-tier free agent like Greg Monroe is more likely.
Aldridge, who is not expected to re-sign with Portland, probably will resurface with the Lakers, Spurs or Mavericks. The Lakers’ decision to draft D’Angelo Russell over Jahlil Okafor suggests that they are confident they will sign a big man in free agency, which begins July 1. Aldridge, who keeps a home in Newport Beach, makes a lot of sense.
However, Aldridge is a Texas kid and his best chance of winning a championship is with the Spurs, who are trying to get creative with the contracts of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili in order to re-sign Kawhi Leonard and add Aldridge.
The Mavs are by no means a longshot. Dallas’ secret weapon is assistant coach Kaleb Canales, who began his coaching career in Portland and remains close friends with Aldridge. When Nate McMillan was fired as Blazers coach the team promoted Canales to interim head coach.
Gasol is more likely to re-sign in Memphis, the city where he’s lived since coming over as a teenager when the Grizzlies drafted his brother, Pau. If Gasol goes anywhere, San Antonio would be the place.
The Daily News reported in April that the Knicks are the front runners to sign Monroe. Detroit president and head coach Stan Van Gundy recently acknowledged that Monroe may not return to the Pistons.
WISHING & DISHING
Rather shrewd of Phil Jackson to credit his top adviser, Clarence Gaines Jr., for convincing him to draft Kristaps Porzingis fourth overall. Sure, it’s nice to give “Little House” Gaines a public compliment, but Phil is also spreading out the blame if the pick doesn’t work out. And if I’m Steve Mills, I’m thinking “great, let that one be on Clarence.”
On Friday, Jackson said of his conversation with Gaines regarding Porzingis, “When someone says to me (that) this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I have to be alert. And (I have to) consider that after he’s been in this business for as long as he has. I think he has as good of an eye as he has on talent.”
Of course, the Knicks’ eye in Europe is long-time scout Kevin Wilson, who is based in Barcelona and was said to be high on Mario Hezonja, who went fifth overall to Orlando. Wilson is the same guy who encouraged Donnie Walsh to spend $3 million on a Russia center named Timofey Mozgov a few years ago.
I’m not suggesting that Wilson doesn’t endorse the selection of Porzingis, who played professionally in Spain. But if Wilson is head over heels for the kid, Jackson isn’t saying.
TRI-ING TIMES
Emmanuel Mudiay was in play for the Knicks but ultimately Jackson, as many expected, picked the big man over the ball-dominant point guard. Why? Repeat after me: “Triangle.” For better or worse, Jackson is married to that system. That’s great while he’s still in charge, but what happens when Jackson, who keeps dropping hints that he may not be around much longer, is gone?
Porzingis is said to be two or three years away from making a significant contribution. What are the odds of Jackson still being Knicks president in two or three years? About as good as the Knicks still running the triangle at that time, I’d say.
Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe was and is available for the right deal, but Jackson is confident that his two returning point guards, Jose Calderon and Langston Galloway, are more than serviceable. One other thing about Bledsoe: There are rumblings that he hasn’t had the same commitment to the game since signing a long-term contract. The Knicks heard that as well.
WHO YA GONNA BELIEVE?
If you believe the Knicks’ version of things, both the Daily News and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who has a close relationship with Carmelo Anthony, made up the stories about Anthony being upset with the Knicks’ decision to draft Porzingis.
Smith used the words “betrayed” and “hoodwinked” to describe how Anthony was feeling. You honestly think he made that up? Could it be that Anthony didn’t realize how big that story would become and was asked by the team paying him $124 million to put out the brush fire by using social media to call Porzingis the “steal” of the draft?
But why stop there? The Knicks should announce that Anthony and Porzingis have decided to room together on the road. Bunk beds, in fact.
BIG LEAST
Where have you gone Patrick Ewing? The Big East failed to have a single player drafted in the first round.
In case you’re wondering, the Knicks don’t have a first-round pick next June. That was traded to Toronto in the Andrea Bargnani deal. The gift that keeps on giving.