The Knicks seem to have finished up their back court shopping when Ronnie Brewer agreed to a one-year deal for the league minimum. Brewer reportedly had a more lucrative offer from Minnesota but decided the Knicks were a better fit. Brewer has the inside track to the starting SG position with J.R. Smith likely to come off the bench in a sixth man roll. Once Iman Shumpert returns to the team, he will most likely regain the starting spot.
The Pablo Prigioni signing has also been officially signed. The Knicks basically exchanged Jeremy Lin, Landry Fields and Toney Douglas for Jason Kidd, Raymond Felton, Prigioni and Brewer. Most would call that a clear victory. What they lose in upside with Lin, they make up for with experience and reliability.
The Knicks still have room for another addition on the roster. They seem to be looking for another piece upfront to come off the bench. Kenyon Martin looks to be the best option for the money they have to spend, which is basically zero. They would only be able to offer the veterans minimum to anyone they are looking at.
The full schedule has not been released yet, but word has come out the Knicks will open up on November 1st against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclay’s Center. They will then have their home opener against the defending Champion Miami Heat. This could be a blessing or a curse depending on the outcome of the two games. In the Mecca of basketball and the over-reactive nature of the city, a loss to the Nets would bring a host of heat onto the Knicks. Host of Heat, see what I did there? But seriously, in the game by game nature of criticism in New York, especially for this team, they cannot afford to start out 0-2 against what will undoubtedly be two of the most crucial foes this season.
We will break down how the Nets stack up against the Knicks in the next few days. With key additions to both teams, they will be much more equally matched. Will the $330 million Brooklyn spent this summer give them the edge? I will give you my take on which team will finish higher when the playoffs begin.
Follow Ralph Guerrero on twitter @ralphguerrero
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July 26, 2012
