New York Knicks News: The Knicks have begun the process of filling out the end of their bench. Their first move in doing so was retaining forward Lance Thomas, one of the only positives to come out of a disastrous 2014-15 season.
With most of the heavy lifting for free agency done, it is time for teams around the NBA to begin filling out the end of their roster. For the New York Knicks, this will be an important process as they could dip back into the free agent market and bring in new players, or attempt to retain players from their team last season. Despite the poor record, there were a few players that the Knicks were hoping to retain.
One was Jason Smith, but he decided to sign a contract with the Orlando Magic that the Knicks could not afford to match, as they didn’t have the available funds. One player they were able to retain from last season’s team though was forward Lance Thomas.
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Thomas was originally acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder in the three-team trade that sent Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith to the Cleveland Cavaliers. While the Knicks waived Thomas after the trade, he was brought back shortly after on a 10-day contract. He performed well enough during that span that he received a second one, and eventually a contract for the remainder of the season.
Thomas appeared in 40 games for the Knicks, starting 24 of them, averaging 8.3 points, three rebounds and 1.2 steals in 26 minutes per game. Thomas proved to be a solid contributor off the bench, and someone that received praise from the coaching staff and front office for the professionalism he displayed during such a tough season. In all reality, Thomas was looking like he was on the verge of being out of the league, and just looking for an opportunity to prove himself.
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The Knicks gave him that chance, and he made the most of it. He showed well last season, and has now parlayed that into a $1.6 million contract for this upcoming season. While his role will certainly be diminished with the players the Knicks have brought in this season, he showed last year he can perform when given the chance in a pinch. He is a solid player to have at the end of the bench as he showed he has a grasp on the triangle and versatility playing small forward and power forward.
There is a strong chance that Thomas isn’t the only player from last season’s team to return. GM Steve Mills has also been in contact with Alexey Shved, Louis Amundson and Cole Aldrich as well. The Knicks also have some potential options on their Summer League team, where Ricky Ledo and Thanasis Antetokounmpo playing.
While we do not know who else the Knicks will peg to fill out their roster, we know Thomas will be one of them. It is thought that the Knicks still have their $2.8 exception to use, as Thomas is expected to sign for the minimum.
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