Knicks Target Provides Timetable on Free Agency Decision

The Knicks have been aggressive in their pursuit of the passing and defending forward, even if he's no longer the same franchise point-forward he once was. New York already has a arguably the conference's best rotation signed for this upcoming season, only requiring Simmons to show up and do what he's comfortable doing in a platoon frontcourt role.

The team has just one veteran's minimum contract remaining for the free agent of their choosing, having already allocated the remainder of their offseason money to Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele in consolidating New York's once-thin bench.

Their front line, as talented as it is, didn't get any more stout defensively in adding Yabusele to a big man rotation that already has starts with Karl-Anthony Towns, providing Simmons with an avenue to play high-leverage minutes in a winning situation for the first time in a long time.

Simmons looked spry in a brief comeback attempt with the Los Angeles Clippers last season, but didn't get much play in the team's most recent one-and-done playoff appearance. With the Knicks, he'll get more of an opportunity to actually win something, while the same can't be said of some of the other organizations interested in his services.