Jeremy Lin and Mike Conley are among the free agent point guards the New York Knicks may actively pursue this summer.
The Knicks have plenty of things to address in the offseason, including finding a point guard who could be of use in Jeff Hornacek's fast-paced offense. According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, Conley and Lin, two of the available point guards in this summer's free agency, could be the Knicks' targets once the market opens.
Conley is probably the most coveted PG in this year's class despite having a mysterious Achilles injury that forced him out of the postseason. The 28-year-old point guard would be a huge upgrade to the Knicks' PG rotation of Jose Calderon and Jerian Grant and would instantly provide spark on both ends of the floor.
However, the Knicks are in no position to offer the All-Star point guard a max deal, which Conely would probably command in free agency. New York only has a projected maximum salary cap space of $30.3 million, which would not be enough for a max deal if the Knicks are planning to target other free agents in July.
On the other hand, Lin is a better fit if the Knicks decide to head down Hornacek's way of an up-tempo offense. Mike D'Antoni, the Knicks' coach during Lin's spur to stardom, presented the same type of basketball, which was evidently effective to Lin's athleticism and skillset.
Lin seemingly admitted he would like to maximize his talent on a team, and while the Knicks could offer that to the 27-year-old combo guard, there are still concerns whether he would be effective playing alongside Carmelo Anthony.
After a decent run with the Charlotte Hornets, averaging 11.7 points and 3.0 assists, while playing 26.3 minutes per game, Lin should probably command a deal close to a max contract. The Knicks could offer Lin a more lucrative pact, but there would certainly be stiff competition to lure Lin come free agency.
Whether the Knicks have a genuine interest to sign either of the aforementioned players remains to be seen, but the hiring of Hornacek suggests New York are ready to acquire the type of talent Lin and Conley has to offer.