The Knicks don't have much cap space this summer, so expect free agency to be low-key for the franchise. That's okay, because team president Steve Mills is already focused on 2019.
The goal this summer will be to have the Knicks best set up to make a run at 2019's big-name free agents. Next summer, the Knicks will have more flexibility as Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard become available.
"Our goal is to get our house in order. Develop the foundation," Mills told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. "And we are not going to be players [in free agency] this year. If we sign guys it's going to be for a one-year deal because we are going to have room for a max contract in the following year. We'll be able to make room for a max guy."
Mills thinks the Knicks won't have to be doing much recruiting.
"We feel like we're going to put ourselves in a position where stars are going to want to come to us," Mills said. "That's what we think."
Mills feels the Knicks already have a huge bargaining chip: Kristaps Porzingis.
"Guys want to be a part of a winning culture," Mills said. "They want to be a part of a group of guys they want to play with. Porzingis is a magnet. He's the reason why everyone interviewing for coaching jobs this year wanted this job."