The New York Knicks were the favorites to land Kevin Durant this coming offseason, but all those went haywire when the 30-year-old cager fell to an Achilles injury in the NBA Finals. And as things look now, the former NBA Most Valuable Player will be missing next season - something that could force several teams to alter their preliminary plans with the two-time NBA champion.
For the Knicks, the battle cry seems to be obvious - they want to come out with a credible performance after tanking for practically the entire 2018-19 NBA season. Hence, it may not make sense if they continue to pursue Durant since they would be spending money on someone who cannot immediately see action. However, all may not be lost for the Gotham-based squad. Rather than the second overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, they could turn their attention to his teammate, DeMarcus Cousins.
Cousins, who himself missed plenty of games last NBA season, is one of the top names in NBA free agency this summer. Golden State is expected to make a new offer to the 28-year-old center, aware that other teams will try to court the fifth overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft as well, USA Today said. But the better question to ask at this point is what kind of contract is Boogie looking for.
As far as the Knicks are concerned, Cousins may be offered a one-year deal - likely similar to what he got from the Warriors, Marc Stein said. Seeing how the temperamental big man hardly produced big numbers last NBA season due to limited action caused by injuries, New York could be playing it safe for now and see if Cousins can hold up the fort with the help of a young crew.
Should this be the landscape for the Knicks, the team is playing it safe. They could give Boogie a substantial offer next NBA season if he recalls his old form. If not, it could be nothing more than to buy Durant some time as he recovers from his injury. This still depends on KD's fate this offseason although the thought of seeing him get a max contract is not looking too good.
The Knicks have their work cut out for them this season with odds on their rumored forecasted targets not looking too good. There are plenty of other players to look forward to as they join several other teams prepping for a crazy NBA summer.
