A few notes as we get closer to free agency at 6:00 P.M.:
The Knicks have virtually no interest in trading Miles McBride as part of the Mikal Bridges acquisition, according to people familiar with the matter. Remember, the Knicks still need to add money to that trade so they can avoid being hard-capped at the first apron. The current version of the trade would leave them capped at a team salary of around $178 million. They are surely searching for ways to avoid that hard-cap. They can do so by sending out more salary in the Bridges trade than they are taking in.
The team has had dialogue on trades involving Jericho Sims, per sources. Sources confirm that they picked up Sims’ team option for 2024-25. The news was first reported by the New York Post. The club likes Sims and he could serve as a backup if there is movement at the center position.
CENTER SPOT
Speaking of that position, as SNY first reported, Isaiah Hartenstein is expected to receive multiple significant offers in free agency. Those offers make it highly unlikely that the Knicks can retain him. New York has Hartenstein’s Early Bird Rights and can offer him a salary starting at $16.1 million and a max of four years and $72 million. As SNY first reported, Hartenstein is expected to have long and short-term offers worth significantly more than the Knicks can offer. So Hartenstein, who is hitting free agency after a strong season, would have to take significantly less money to remain in New York.
Because of that, the Knicks may need to find a backup center in free agency. As we’ve noted, Andre Drummond, Goga Bitadze and Nick Richards are among a group of big men on New York’s radar if Hartenstein signs elsewhere. Drummond is expected to receive interest from multiple teams, as is Bitadze.
MORE SIXERS SPACE?
One other note as we get closer to free agency: the Philadelphia 76ers are in on Paul George, as we all know. In the hours before free agency, the Sixers were exploring ways to create more cap space to add players beyond just George, per people familiar with the matter. Among the many ways they can do this: by waiving a player whose salary is not guaranteed for 2024-25.
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