Mike Conley (Photo : Getty Images)
The New York Knicks may have found a gleam of optimism to finally land their most coveted All-Star point guard, with Mike Conley set to explore free agency in July.
The Knicks may have gotten a slight boost to ultimately sign a star point guard after Conley officially announced he will test the water in the summer market.
Conley is set to hit the free agency market in July after seeing out his five-year $40 million contract with the Grizzlies. The 28-year-old can be considered as one of the most sought-after point guard in this year's free agent class, and the Knicks are believed to become major players in luring Conley to play at the Big Apple.
Following the Memphis Grizzlies' playoff exit handed by the San Antonio Spurs, Conley demanded the franchise needs to do something in the offseason to get back into title contention, while adding his excitement to be a free agent for the first time in his career.
"We need to be committed to doing the things, whatever it may be and however hard the decision may be, to do the right things in order to get us where we need to go," Conley said.
"This summer will be a fun one for me," Conley said. "Free agency is new for me. We'll see how it goes."
Mike Conley, very calmly but very firmly, put a great deal of pressure on the front office to 1. pay him and 2. pay some FAs.
— Peter Edmiston (@peteredmiston) April 25, 2016
The Grizzlies have enough room to sign back Conley to a max contract, with the team projected to have a maximum salary cap space this summer of $38 million, according to RealGM. However, that would leave Memphis with a meager amount to sign another top talented free agent who could instantly impact the Grizzlies title hopes next season.
This situation presents a chance for the Knicks to pry Conley out of Memphis and bring him to New York, where he could play alongside Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis.
But while the Knicks desperately needed backcourt help, signing Conley is not much of an interest for the Knicks anymore due to Phil Jackson's triangle offense and the Grizzlies PG's mysterious Achilles tendon injury suffered in March, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
"The Knicks desperately need backcourt help in free agency, but their interest in overpaying Conley, who likely will seek a maximum contract, is not as keen as it was earlier this season," Berman wrote.
The Knicks could have at least $30 million in available cap space come this summer, and it would certainly be enough to offer Conley a max contract. But Conley's injury, along with the Knicks' offensive identity, may be enough factors for New York to move on in coveting a star point guard.
