New York Knicks: Don't Expect Them to Be Major Players in Free Agency

Last year's NBA salary cap was right around $58 million. Last year's cap charge for the Knicks was just over $67 million.

While we don't know what the impending NBA lockout and subsequent negotiations with the union will do to the salary cap, one can assume that it will go down.

That is, become less than it was in the 2010-11 season.

Going into the 2011-12 season, here's what the Knicks cap situation looks like:

Carmelo Anthony:     $18,520,000

Amare Stoudemire:  $18,217,705

Chauncey Billups:    $14,200,000

Ronny Turiaf:             $4,360,000 (*player option, assume Turiaf will exercise)

Renaldo Balkman:   $1,675,000

Toney Douglas:         $1,145,640

Bill Walker:                 $916,100 (*team option, assume the Knicks will exercise)

Andy Rautins:            $788,872

Landry Fields:           $788,872

Total Cap Charge:    $59,696,089

With only nine players under contract, the Knicks are already over the 2010-11 cap.

Assuming that the Larry Bird rule remains (or some semblance of it), the Knicks would be able to go over the cap to re-sign their own free agents: Shawne Williams, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter, Jared Jeffries, Derrick Brown and Roger Mason Jr.

Even with the mid-level exception, which last season was $5.765 million, the Knicks are not going to have the cap space to be serious contenders for the top free-agent centers on the market, including Marc Gasol, Samuel Dalembert and DeAndre Jordan.

You can also forget about a reunion with current Denver Nugget Wilson Chandler, who will undoubtedly be looking for a significant raise over his $2.1 million salary after tying his career high in points per game and setting a new career high in rebounds per game this past season.

A project big man, such as Alexis Ajinca from Toronto, or an undersized power forward, such as Josh McRoberts from Indiana, would probably be the types of players the Knicks will be able to afford.

While this coming offseason will not come close to equaling the excitement that surrounded last summer, the Knicks find themselves in prime position to strike gold in the free-agent bonanza that is expected in the summer of 2012.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/695525-new-york-knicks-dont-expect-them-to-be-major-players-in-free-agency

Justin Falk Robbie Eal Joe Callahan Bryan Allen Mark Cullen Baltimore Orioles