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New York Knicks Rumors: Kevin Seraphin A Free Agent Target?

By Kenneth Teape

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New York Knicks Rumors: The Knicks are going bargain bin shopping for a big man and shooter. Could Kevin Seraphin fill the need for a big man?

As we head towards the end of July, the NBA Free Agent market has become pretty barren. But, that does not mean there is not value or useable pieces no longer available for teams like the New York Knicks. This is the time to do the ultimate bargain shopping, as most of the salary space has been used up, making the Knicks players on the current market with their $2.8 million exception.

The Knicks are still in the market for a big man, and could use a shooter as well. They have been rumored to be interested in Carlos Boozer, but there is another big man that could be had for their $2.8 million exception that struck out in free agency. That player is Kevin Seraphin.

Seraphin entered free agency looking to land in a spot he could compete for a starting job. He has been welcomed with crickets on the market, learning the tough realization that he may not be that caliber of player. But, at only 25-years of age, there is still plenty of upside that could be tapped into. The question is, who can do it?

The Knicks would have been a great spot for him last season, as they had holes all over their roster. That is no longer necessary the case, as they filled a lot of holes via the NBA Draft and free agency earlier in July. The front court has especially been upgraded, where they signed Robin Lopez and Kyle O’Quinn. They also selected Kristaps Porzingis fourth overall, who will be playing power forward to start his career.

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Seraphin is looking for a place that he will be able to play and boost his value, but that may not be with the Knicks. Last season he averaged 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game, appearing in 79 total games for the Wizards during the 2014-15 season. He has plateaued since his Sophomore season when he averaged 7.9 points and 4.9 rebounds with 1.3 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game.

It would be hard to imagine the Knicks being able to give Seraphin the minutes that he is hoping for, and the same goes for the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the other teams rumored to be interested in the big man. Like the Knicks, the Lakers have a lot of players needing minutes in their front court with Roy Hibbert and Robert Sacre under contract at center, and Brandon Bass signed this offseason to be paired with Julius Randle at power forward.

So, at this time, it seems a return to Washington could be the most likely option. But, if Seraphin is just looking for a new opportunity where more minutes could potentially open up, the Knicks should offer a competitive deal. There is nothing wrong with having solid depth on the roster, and a younger player such as Seraphin will be motivated to perform whenever he is called upon so that he can get an increased role and more money next offseason.

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Seraphin would also give the Knicks some versatility on their roster. He is capable of playing both power forward and center, and unlike Boozer, he has shown the ability to be a rim protector, so he could anchor the defense in a pinch. He may not shoot in the midrange as efficiently as Boozer, but he does it well enough to be respected by opposing defenses, and the superior performance he offers defensively should be more than enough to offset whatever advantage Boozer has offensively.

Seraphin would be another solid addition for Phil Jackson and the Knicks to make as he would be another young piece with some upside. There may not be a role he is seeking right now, but if he plays well enough in training camp he can earn himself one on a team that is essentially working with a clean slate after a horrific 2014-15 season.

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