The defending champions only have room under the second apron to add one of them on a minimum deal.
One veteran minimum contract is all the room the New York Knicks have left under the second apron, and the front office may already know who gets it.
SNY's Ian Begley reported in his Thursday mailbag that, per SNY sources, John Konchar and Drew Eubanks are among the players on New York's radar as training camp approaches.
Begley said he cannot claim to know what the entire front office is thinking, and he did not call either player close to signing, but the names show where the champions feel thin.
Why the Knicks Are Looking at a Wing and a Big
New York has 13 players on guaranteed contracts and two open standard spots, and Begley wrote that the club has enough space under the second apron for one more veteran minimum deal but not two.
Owner James Dolan has said the team will not go over the second apron this season, so this is likely one signing, and the choice comes down to the bigger need.
The frontcourt is the obvious answer.
Mitchell Robinson left for Boston in July on a three year deal after helping New York win its first title in 53 years, and the Knicks replaced him with Andre Drummond on a one year deal.
That leaves Karl-Anthony Towns and Drummond as the two established centers, which is thin for a team that plans to play into June again.
There is a real question about whether Drummond can fill the void Robinson left on defense, and a cheap third big man would give Mike Brown some cover.
What Konchar and Eubanks Actually Bring
Eubanks is the center option, and the 6-foot-10 veteran played 42 games for Sacramento last season and averaged 5.2 points and 3.0 rebounds before surgery on a torn ligament in his left thumb ended his year in March.
Begley wrote that he would presumably be competing with a couple of other big men for the third center job, which is the right way to treat a rotation body who is not a Robinson replacement.
Konchar is the more interesting name.
Minnesota got him from Utah on Saturday in the Josh Green trade and waived him the same night, and he cleared waivers on Monday to become an unrestricted free agent.
Between Memphis and Utah last season he averaged 4.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 56 games, and Begley describes him as a strong rebounder, defender and offensive connector who can hit outside shots.
Those numbers look small, but the bench is full of guards, and a wing who defends and rebounds without needing the ball fits this roster.
The Money Decides It
Begley said he would bet extensions for Towns and Josh Hart get done before the season, and keeping Towns is the safest path to staying on top of the East, so every dollar spent on the 14th man is one the front office cannot use later.
Konchar should get the spot.
Camp opens Sept. 29 and the opener against Philadelphia is Oct. 20, and with questions already about whether Miles McBride fits in the budget past this season, a wing defender helps on more nights than a third center who only plays when someone is hurt.
