After reaching the conference finals for the first time in 25 years last season, it’s been a busy offseason for the New York Knicks’ front office. Along with undergoing a coaching change, numerous upgrades have been made to the roster. Seeing that the Knicks still have an open roster spot, more additions could be made this summer.
In a recent mailbag for SNY, insider Ian Begley touched on a variety of Knicks topics. When it came to the team’s open roster spot, he was asked about the reported pursuit of Ben Simmons. Begley cited that the former All-Star remains a top candidate, as does veteran guard Landry Shamet.
“Ben Simmons is certainly a candidate for the Knicks’ final roster spot. As of earlier this week, New York continued to show strong interest in signing Simmons as teams in on Simmons await his decision,” Begley wrote. “He’s garnered interest from several teams around the league. The Knicks also have maintained interest in Landry Shamet for that final roster spot.”
Injuries have drastically impacted Simmons in recent years, but he is still an intriguing target on a minimum deal. He remains a versatile talent, averaging 5.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 5.6 APG in 51 games for the Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers.
Even though the Knicks have already bolstered their backcourt depth in the form of Jordan Clarkson, but a case could still be made for them to sign Simmons. As a pass-first player, he could take on the playmaking duties when Jalen Brunson is off the floor.
Already armed with an abundance of depth, the Knicks are in a position to roll the dice on a player with Simmons’ history. If he doesn’t pan out, they have countless rotation pieces they can fall back on. In the event he’s able to provide some sort of boost, he could provide lineup versatility for a New York team eager to make a run at the NBA title.
