No, the six million will not be important next summer.
First of all, opt-outs on all the deals, save Julius and Marcus (straight one year deal).
Second, not a really delectable assortment of free agents coming due. Delectable? Okay, probable. Okay, RESTRICTED. Most of the unrestricted are a little long in the tooth to fit our team moving forward.
Anthony Davis is expected to opt out next summer. We shall see. How the Lakers do this season will play a big part in any possible decisions. And how Davis and his agent view the prospects of assembling a team around AD without draft picks or any young talent other than Kuzma.
Who else is unrestricted? PG Fred Van Vleet of the Raptors.
Otherwise, a lot of RFA, such as Pascal Siakam of the Raptors.
Frank is due to make 4.8 million for 2019-2020. Team Option for 6.1 million in 2020-2021. Qualifying Offer of 8.3 million in 2021-2022.
Dennis Smith is also on the clock. Making 4.4 this season, with a team option for 2020-2021 of 5.6 and a qualifying offer of 7.7 in 2021-2022.
Elfrid is at 8 million for this year, with a team option for 2020-21.
That's potentially 19 million on the books for all three in 2020-21.
A re-signed Frank (let alone Dennis) has much more appeal as a trading chip if locked up for 2020-21.
Not picking up Frank and Dennis' options would make them UNRESTRICTED for next summer, and hence, less valuable as assets, more like rent-a-player/expiring contracts.
So the issue is not six million for next summer, which is a specious projection; rather, which move going forward gives the Knicks a better set of options?
Says here, we pick up both Frank and Dennis, and re-examine our options on December 15 when presumably, everyone can be traded.
PS: Kadeem Allen being our safety two-way option, and presumably Hinton and Peters in developmental mode. I would look to PF Wooten as another safety two-way option this season with Westchester, as both Portis and Gibson are subject to review next summer, and it remains to be seen whether or not Morris is a one year rental.
PPS: Thanks to Phul Jackoff, we do not have our own second round picks in 2020 or 2021.
PPPS: We have Charlotte's 2020 and 2021 second rounders from the Hernan-Gomez trade. We have Dallas' unprotected 2021 first rounder and Top Ten protected #1 in 2023.
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