Why would we?
Collins is a PF.
Wants Big Money.
Not a great defender.
Don't see the fit.
We also have that Obi Toppin fellow. Who is playing behind Julius and Taj.
Collins is a very nice offensive player, but doesn't play big, or big defense, and wants a max contract.
Spoil sport that I am, my sense of things is to stay focused on the moment, and for the first time in memory, we are not projecting lottery position but a playoff run.
Still, it is hard not to look deeper into the summer, the draft, free agency and beyond.
Walt Perrin is our draft guru, based on his track record in Utah.
With the 21, 22, 33 picks based on the current standings, Frank due to be considered/or-not for a qualifying offer, some sort of conclusive thoughts on Kevin moving forward/or-not and a significant number of FAs one would suspect Thibs is invested in bringing back [Rose, Noels, Bullock, Burks, Taj], while IT IS SURELY PREMATURE TO BE PROJECTING THIS while we are fighting for the best playoff/post-season seeding, it would seem that the Knicks might very well look to get creative with Frank, Kevin and our three draft picks. Either moving up in the draft, or looking to convert this year's picks into 2022-2023 picks...more vets?
Robinson-Noels-Gibson-
Pelle-
ShittuRandle-Toppin
Bullock-Burks-
KnoxRJ-
Ntilikina-
Pinson-
PowellRose-Quickley-
Harper-
PaytonThe strike throughs indicate players who might be on the bubble, slotted for G League, trade bait...
Clearly if we want to bring back Rose-Noels-Bullock-Burks-Gibson, pay raises are in order.
Thibs respects Payton, and while his rough outings tend to make folks forget about the generally positive contributions he's made, you've got to think the Knicks are looking for an upgrade through the draft, trades or free agency.
As always, I am pulling for my Lilliputian Harper, but I suspect that ain't happenning.
The Halliburon/Toppin debate will linger well into the future, but in all fairness to the Knicks brain trust, no one going into the draft was projecting Randle to metastisize into the second coming of Bob McAdoo/Maurice Lucas/Zach Randolph, let alone a poor man's Larry Bird [okay, that is a stretch, but stats wise, leadership, three pointers, assists, hey....]