The New York Knicks were two wins short of reaching the NBA Finals, but now they have to go into the offseason wondering what they can do to improve the roster.
With the starting five looking to be set in stone for now, the one thing the Knicks need to focus on is building depth on the bench. It was obvious that’s where most of their problems came from, and getting some solid pieces in the rotation could help them.
As free agency begins on June 30, there will be several players whom the Knicks could sign, and one of them has been a veteran on the Boston Celtics, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
“Al Horford is a free agent,” Bontemps said on the Hoop Collective podcast. “I don’t think at this point it makes a lot of sense for … Horford to be back in Boston. Maybe he will be, but given where things are with the Celtics, I think he’s now much more in play than he might have been a month ago.”
A lot changed for the Celtics when Jayson Tatum went down with a torn Achilles, but there was always a chance that the core group of that team would get broken up during the offseason because of how much money is on their payroll. Horford could find a way to a team that has a better chance of winning next season, and the Knicks do make a lot of sense.
Could Al Horford sign with the Knicks?
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Not only does it make sense for Horford to sign with the Knicks because of basketball reasons, but he also has a connection with one of the players on the team.
“Horford is a longtime friend of (Karl-Anthony Towns and) has played with him with the Dominican National team for a long time,” Bontemps said. “If they go get Al Horford this summer, … I think (he) would be an unbelievable fit on this Knicks roster.”
Horford has played an important part for the Celtics on and off the court over the years, and he can be the player that the Knicks are looking for. He would be a solid backup to Towns, and he can play both the 4 and 5, so there are times they may decide to put both on the floor at the same time.
It will be an interesting offseason for the Knicks, and hopefully, they can get some quality depth on the team.
