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New York Knicks News: Al-Farouq Aminu To Visit Knicks

By Kenneth Teape

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New York Knicks News: The Knicks have scheduled a meeting with versatile forward Al-Farouq Aminu as the Knicks try and revamp their whole roster for the 2015-16 after a disastrous 2014-15 campaign.

As we move closer to the NBA Free Agency period, we are beginning to see the travel plans for players are more and more meetings are being announced between players and teams. The New York Knicks are sure to host a ton of meetings and go on visits, as they are armed with a boatload of cap space that is burning a hole in their pocket. The latest person that has set up a visit with the Knicks is Al-Farouq Aminu.

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Aminu exercised his player option with the Dallas Mavericks to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Knicks will not be the only team hoping to sign Aminu this summer, as he will not be without plenty of suitors. According to David Aldridge, Aminu has meetings scheduled with five teams already, including the Knicks.

Aldridge hits the nail on the head in his tweet, as Aminu is as under the radar as they come. He was a lottery pick in 2010 by the Los Angeles Clippers, being selected eighth overall. His potential was thought highly enough by the New Orleans Hornets that he was one of the players they acquired in the blockbuster trade that landed Chris Paul in Los Angeles.

But, in the eyes of some, Aminu has fallen short of expectations. Coming out of Wake Forest as a sophomore, the athleticism was clear but his offense needed work. The offense still hasn’t come around much, as his range is still limited and he isn’t someone you will rely on for a scoring punch, as he averaged only 6.4 points per game in his career.

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All of those teams mentioned by Aldridge have potentially huge holes on the wing, which makes sense that they are interested in Aminu. Unlike other options on the free agent market, Aminu figures to come much cheaper even though he could potentially quadruple his earnings next season. He opted out of a $1.1 million contract but could easily fetch $4 million on the market as he will only be 25 when the season starts.

He is a combo forward, that would fit perfectly into a small ball lineup as a power forward. He is a strong defender and can fit next to an offensive minded player such as Carmelo Anthony perfectly. Aminu is best known for his defense and rebounding, which would help take pressure of of Anthony and he can concentrate on what he does best; score.

Aminu is opting out at a perfect time, as he is looking to make good on his strong playoff performance. Stepping into the Mavericks lineup during the postseason for Chandler Parsons, Aminu played extremely well, averaging 11.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. His defense didn’t fall off at all either, as he averaged 2.0 steals and 1.6 blocks per game as well as he made a big impact on both ends of the court.

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For the projected price tag he carries, the Knicks would do well bringing him in. He would present the first legitimate backup for Anthony since the Knicks acquired him, but his still set would also enable the two to play next to each other. Also, the Knicks need to improve on the defensive end and in the rebounding department, which happens to be Aminu’s strengths.

The Knicks and Aminu look to be a perfect match if they can hold off the other teams interested, especially the Mavericks who are expected clear the required cap space to retain his services.

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