If the new CBA proposal goes through without a snag, the free agency period will begin December 9th, the same day training camps open. As we've discussed before, that free agent pool will include a number of last year's Knicks, namely:
Roger Mason Jr.
Anthony Carter
Shawne Williams
Shelden Williams
Derrick Brown (restricted)
Jared Jeffries
Without those guys, ShamSports has the Knicks owing about $60 million to nine guys this coming season, plus Iman Shumpert makes ten. They'll likely be at or over the salary cap, though not in the land of the luxury tax. This being the case, one wouldn't expect New York to start handing out large, long-term contracts (and we're already being beaten over the head with the big reason why not). Assuming that the likes of Nene and Samuel Dalembert and DeAndre Jordan are out of the question (feel free to assume otherwise), it'll just be a matter of filling in the cracks. Keep in mind that Josh Harrellson and Jerome Jordan are also strong candidates for those open spots.
Y'all know I want Extra E back, particularly given his expressed willingness to accept a small, short contract. After that, I don't feel too strongly about any of these guys, (though I've come to realize that I grew quite attached to Anthony Carter by the end of the Celtics series) and would be amenable to looking outward to flesh out the roster. Here's a handy-ass list of other free agents. What say you? Am I wrong to say that larger, longer-term deals ought to be out of the question? If not, then who from last year's team would you like to hang onto? Who else intrigues you? Might I interest you in Jonathan Bender?