Did Knicks Make Right Decisions Regarding Shane Larkin and Iman Shumpert?
For the New York Knicks, Halloween was more than just a night of tricks and treats. There were important decisions to be made regarding the future of their roster, as the third-year option for Shane Larkin and an extension for Iman Shumpert both had to be done by then. Both were not, as the Knicks declined Larkin’s option and didn’t work out a contract extension with Shumpert. This is not a guarantee that they will not be back with the team, they will just have competition now from other teams potentially to keep them around. Was this the right decision for the Knicks to make?
Oct 24, 2014; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New York Knicks guard Shane Larkin (0) shoots the ball in front of Toronto Raptors forward James Johnson (3) during the second half at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
From a cap space view, this was a no-brainer decision. Accepting the third-year option and giving Shumpert a contract extension would have eaten into the Knicks’ cap space for the summers of 2015 and 2016 when they are expected to be big players in free agency. The more space the better for the Knicks as they will be looking to shape and round out their roster around Carmelo Anthony, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jose Calderon, Pablo Prigioni and Cleanthony Early, the only players that will definitely be under contract at the time of those free agencies.
The Knicks are putting a lot of stock in those free agencies, a tactic that has backfired on them in recent memory. Just a couple of summers ago, in 2009, the Knicks put all their eggs into the LeBron James basket and coming up short. This time with the franchise under new management, with Phil Jackson as president and Derek Fisher as head coach, the Knicks are hoping things can be different.
This is a gamble though, as Larkin and Shumpert will have plenty of opportunities this season to showcase themselves for other teams. It is ridiculously early in the season still, but Larkin looked strong in his second start after an unexpected start in the season opener that was a little rocky. Shumpert has showed his defensive prowess on the perimeter, and looks to be much more confident offensively, being more aggressive looking to score and handling the ball.
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Larkin and Shumpert both have potential, especially with the Knicks in the systems they are putting in on both sides of the ball, to succeed. The Triangle Offense is the perfect scheme for Shumpert, as his movement without the ball is showcased. Larkin is a quick, young, energetic guard the Knicks would be hard to not find a place for.
Ultimately though free agency is where the Knicks are looking to hit it big the next couple of offseasons with Marc Gasol, Greg Monroe and Rajon Rondo some of the bigger names available in 2015, and Kevin Durant being the golden prize in 2016. With that being their goal, saving as much money leading up to that is important, and for that to be achieved they have to let players like Larkin and Shumpert walk. Right now it looks short-sighted, but the Knicks are a team in position to be immensely improved just a year away from now with free agent acquisitions.