NBA teams are now permitted to contact player agents, and they've wasted no time in doing that. Here are a few early reports from Ken Berger and Alan Hahn:

Berger:

Six teams have expressed early interest in UFA Caron Butler: Nets, Clippers, Bulls, Heat, Spurs and Knicks, per sources.

Hahn:

Can confirm @KBergCBS report that #Knicks have contacted agent for Caron Butler today.

Now, contacting an agent does not amount to courtship or even genuine intent, but it is interesting to see who the Knicks are looking at or talking to. Butler isn't a guy whose name we've heard connected with the Knicks (or at least I haven't. I kind of forgot Caron Butler existed, which saddens me). Recall that Butler is coming off knee surgery that kept him out of most of the Mavericks' championship run, so I suppose it's not impossible that he'd be a viable candidate for a one-year deal, or perhaps some portion of the mid-level exception, if the Knicks are headed that way. Again, it's just an inquiry.

Also, Hahn twat the following news that is certain to delight many of you as much as it delights me:

Also, #Knicks reached out to agent for [Shawne Williams], who is an unrestricted free agent but expressed an interested in re-signing.

Excellent!

Thoughts on the interest in Butler and Extra E?

Update: Frank Isola twat the following:

Knicks reached out to agents for Jeff Foster, Grant Hill, Caron Butler, Kurt Thomas, Jared Jeffries and Shawne Williams...just to name a few

All individuals worthy of a call, I think. Jeff Foster would fit so nicely over here.