No. 4: New York Knicks
Projected cap room: $59.2 million
Plenty has changed for the New York Knicks since the last time they appeared on this list, but it’s not enough for them to move up any further.
For starters, they made the pick they were expected to in the NBA Draft, taking R.J. Barrett with the third overall selection. Assuming he develops as anticipated, he could very well be the best player on the roster by the time the upcoming season comes to a close.
That is, if they don’t end up signing a superstar once free agency begins.
Unfortunately for the LA Clippers, the Knicks are a lot like the rest of the league and have their sights set on two main players this summer: Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard. It seems as though they’re more in on Durant than Leonard, sticking with the expectations they’ve set since the beginning of this past season.
However, recent developments about their interest in Leonard could be cause for concern for the Clippers. The Knicks are rumored to be working hard to secure a meeting with Leonard, according to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes — and while that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s mutual interest there between both sides, it does mean that the Knicks feel confident enough in their ability to sign Leonard that it would warrant a meeting.
Make no mistake, New York is still a long shot to bring in Leonard. This is still largely expected to be a two-team (or potentially two-city) race, and the Knicks getting themselves involved doesn’t change that. But still, we can’t help but wonder.
Durant still seems like the play for the Knicks, but even then they’ll have plenty of competition, namely from their cross-town rival Brooklyn Nets. If that’s the case, guys like Tobias Harris could be more likely signings for the Knicks than anybody else.