Mike Brown, New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have one of the best rosters in the NBA. Still, that doesn’t mean the coaching staff and front office won’t look for ways to continue improving the current rotation during the summer.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Zach Buckley pinpointed Bones Hyland of the Minnesota Timberwolves as a “realistic” free agency target for Mike Brown’s team.
“The Knicks could poke around for cheap ball-handlers, and they might see Hyland as capable of giving them a lot of what they hoped they’d be getting from Jordan Clarkson,” Buckley wrote. “Hyland is more scorer than table-setter, but New York already showed a willingness to accept that archetype by bringing in Clarkson in search of bench buckets.”
Hyland is on a one-year contract with the Timberwolves. He will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. Furthermore, he’s unlikely to command a sizeable salary, making him easily attainable for a team such as New York, which boasts a bloated payroll.
In 64 games for Minnesota, Hyland is averaging 8 points, 2.6 assists and 1.6 rebounds, shooting 57.7% from two-point range and 39.2% from three. He would provide a spark off the bench, either as a ball-handler or off-ball threat.
At 25-years-old, Hyland could still improve, too, which would be ideal for a Knicks team looking to add depth to the second unit.
Knicks Free Agent Focus Will Be Mitchell Robinson
Before the Knicks look to make any offseason improvements to their roster, they must first navigate Mitchell Robinson’s impending free agency. The impressive big man will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. He’s likely to command interest from multiple teams around the NBA.
Robinson has been a reliable presence for the Knicks this season. He’s suited up for 55 regular-season games so far, starting 15 of them. The 7-foot center is averaging 5.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.
New York won’t want to lose Robinson’s rim protection and paint deterrence. Nor will it have the financial flexibility to replace the big man with a like-for-like talent. As such, Robinson’s free agency will likely be a top priority for the franchise heading into the summer.
Robinson Has Questions Knicks’ Approach
Despite Robinson’s importance to the Knicks rotation, his frustration with the team’s current approach could lead to New York allowing him to walk this summer.
Following the Knicks’ loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, March 26, Robinson questioned the team’s approach in the comments section of a “Knicks Fans TV” post on Instagram.
“Don’t even matter unless we change our approach, we ain’t doing [expletive] special — keep that [expletive] up, myself included,” Robinson wrote.
This is the second time in less than a week that Robinson has questioned the Knicks’ current on-court approach, despite the team recently embarking on a 7-game win streak, which the Hornets inevitably ended.
“We can’t just look at their record and just say, ‘Alright, we’re gonna whip their ass,’” Robinson said, via New York Daily News, following the team’s narrow win over the Brooklyn Nets on March 20. “We’ve just gotta be better altogether.”
The Knicks front office will have an important decision to make regarding Robinson’s future with the franchise this summer. How they choose to move forward will have a direct impact on what areas of the roster will be a point of focus during the off-season.
Adam Taylor is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Miami Heat for Heavy. He holds bylines for CelticsBlog, USA Today and Yardbarker. Adam also covers the WWE and AEW. He has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Open University. More about Adam Taylor
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