3 areas Knicks should address during 2024 NBA free agency

The 2024 offseason will be pivotal for the Knicks. The club has its own free agents in Isaiah Hartenstein and OG Anunoby. There’s also the decision they have to make on guaranteeing Bojan Bogdanovic’s $19 million salary.

Depending on those decisions, the Knicks could have the non-taxpayer midlevel exception, which is projected to be worth $12.9 million.

With Hartenstein and Anunoby perhaps signing larger contracts to stay, the Knicks might cross the first apron of the luxury tax. That would leave them with the taxpayer midlevel exception, which is projected to be worth $5.2 million.

There are a lot of moving parts that could change their plans, such as pursuing a star in a trade. But here’s a look at three deficiencies the Knicks should look to address in free agency, and the players they could find with either form of the midlevel exception...

Length and versatility on the perimeter

Switchable wings with size are often what NBA teams are trying to pursue. The Knicks only have one player in that category in Anunoby. To add some depth and players capable of playing in more versatile lineups on defense, New York could look at wings on the market with size.

Derrick Jones Jr

Playing on a minimum deal for the Dallas Mavericks, Jones is sure to get a raise when he enters free agency. His defense has been a catalyst in Dallas’ in-season defensive improvement. He’s also proven to be decent enough as a corner three-point shooter to stay on the floor.

Kelly Oubre

A 6-foot-7 wing with a 7-2 wingspan, Oubre joined the Philadelphia 76ers on a bargain deal last offseason. Now, one could expect him to look for the largest contract possible. Oubre’s defense was much improved, as he was a legitimate nuisance to Jalen Brunson in the first round of the playoffs. Oubre finds ways to score, but he is a below-average three-point shooter and playmaker.

Perimeter shooting

New York is always going to have to find a balance between having great defense and perimeter shooting on the same floor. Since the Knicks have a non-shooting center on the floor at all times and inconsistent three-point threats such as Julius Randle and Josh Hart, having other players in the rotation capable of making shots from outside is important.

The Knicks finished the regular season, tied for 13th in three-point shooting (36.9 percent). Though they’ve improved overall as a team, there’s always a need for perimeter shooting.

Malik Beasley

Beasley had a bounce-back year with the Milwaukee Bucks, shooting 41.3 percent on 542 three-point attempts. A career 38.5 percent shooter from deep, Beasley gets up three-pointers at high volume.

Buddy Hield

Among the best movement shooters in the NBA, Hield is one of the top outside threats on the market. A career 40-percent three-point shooter, Hield can be streaky at times, such as when he made zero threes in the first five games of the 76ers-Knicks first-round series and then knocked down six triples in the series finale.

Playmaking

When Brunson was on the bench this season, the Knicks were hard-pressed to find enough shot-creation and playmaking with the rest of the roster. Though McBride was a revelation this past season off the bench as a scorer and defender, he didn’t always look comfortable initiating New York’s offense or handling the Indiana Pacers’ full-court press in the second round of the playoffs.

As a way to shore up the minutes Brunson sits, New York should look at potentially adding either a backup point guard or a perimeter player who can get the team into sets quickly.

Tyus Jones

Jones is one of the best players in the NBA at taking care of the ball, leading the league in assist-to-turnover ratio five of the past six seasons. He can play off the ball as a shooter but also operate out of the pick-and-roll. His size would be a concern considering the Knicks already have Brunson and Deuce McBride in the rotation.

Kyle Lowry

If the Knicks want to continue adding Villanova products, Lowry would be a great fit. The 38-year-old point guard’s style of hard-nosed play fits with head coach Tom Thibodeau. Lowry isn’t the same playmaker he was earlier in his career, but his championship experience could help. Entering his 19th season, Lowry would provide a cheaper option for the Knicks.