New York Knicks: 5 potential free agency targets in 2017

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On top of all the drama and hoopla surrounding their offseason, here are five potential free agent targets for the New York Knicks.

The New York Knicks may have saved their summer.

With the news that the Knicks and team president Phil Jackson are parting ways, the franchise may have performed a last-minute salvage job of their offseason.

The toxic culture that had built up over Jackson's time in charge was not only affecting the Knicks' roster, but it was making it increasingly difficult to attract prospective players to the Big Apple.

As ESPN's Zach Lowe recently tweeted:

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This stance could possibly change now with Jackson's dismissal, and the subsequent introduction of current general manager, Steve Mills, to oversee all matters related to free agency.

While this move certainly erases the doubt surrounding Kristaps Porzingis' future, the same can't be said for their 10-time All-Star, Carmelo Anthony.

Although he has been adamant in wanting to remain with the Knicks in spite of Jackson, Anthony is fully aware that at age 33, he isn't getting any younger, and that the chance of being in a position to compete for a championship is getting more difficult by the day. But with Melo holding a no-trade clause in his contract, this make it much more difficult for the Knicks to deal him away.

Jackson catapulted the franchise into the headlines recently when he wouldn't rule out trading their 21-year-old potential superstar in Porzingis. Seen as the future of the franchise, Knicks fans and the NBA community in general, were both angry and flummoxed that Jackson could see this as a viable option.

New York Knicks, team president Phil Jackson to part ways Wednesday https://t.co/ueOsp0ANpC

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) June 28, 2017

Of course this stems back to Porzingis skipping the team's annual exit interview, primarily due what he saw as the "drama and dysfunction" surrounding the franchise. The prime example of this has been Jackson's relationship Anthony. The line was basically crossed for Porzingis when Jackson stated at his end-of-season press conference:

"We have not been able to win with him (Anthony) on the court at this time and I think the direction with our team is that he is a player that would be better off somewhere else and using his talent somewhere he can win or chase that championship."

Clearly, Porzingis saw this as yet another example off the breakdown in the relationship between the Knicks' front office and its marquee player. Recently, Jackson explained his stance on Porzingis:

"We're listening, but we're not intrigued yet at this level. But as much as we love this guy, we have to do what's good for our club."

Now with Jackson out of the picture, the Knicks can turn their attention to free agency, and find a way to move the franchise forward as quickly as possible. With the triangle offense seemingly out of the picture, head coach Jeff Hornacek and his players should now be able to focus on the far more up-tempo, modern-day pace-and-space style of play.

With this in mind, here are five realistic targets the Knicks should attempt to land this summer.

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5. Otto Porter Jr., Washington Wizards

With the future of Anthony in the Big Apple seemingly in doubt, Porter represents a serious option as the Knicks attempt to rebuild their roster.

A prototypical 3-and-D small forward, Porter's length and athleticism would be a welcome addition to the Knicks' front line. In his end of season press conference, Jackson expressed his desire to add player traits that seemingly fit Porter's skill set:

"Right now we need players that are really active, can play every single play, defensively and offensively. That's really important for us."

Last season with the Wizards, Porter averaged 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 32.6 minutes per game. His career-best 43.4 percent three-point shooting would be a welcome addition to a Knicks team that ranked 21st in the league in three-point percentage, and 24th in three-pointers made per game.

Porter's ability to contribute off the ball would be a nice fit within whatever system the Knicks choose to run moving forward. Last season, Porter had a usage rate of just 14.9, with 77.3 percent of his field goal's made coming from an assist.

Furthermore, as a high-level athlete with a 7'1″ wingspan, the 6'8″ Porter has all the tools to be a menace on the defensive end. Last season, his 1.5 steals per game ranked 24th in the league, while his 2.9 deflections per game ranked 21st in the league.

His premier game last season came during an early season win against the Eastern Conference finalist Boston Celtics. Playing 38 minutes, Porter recorded 34 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks.

Like many free agents, Porter's asking price may be the deciding point. As a restricted free agent, the Wizards have the right to match any offer made by a rival team. With an expected offer in the four-year, $80 million range, the Knicks will likely have to extend themselves if they feel Porter is the right fit for their future.

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4. Patty Mills, San Antonio Spurs

Mills may not be star, but he could prove to be a more than worthy acquisition.

With the Knicks now seemingly in a rebuilding mode, Mills would provide an excellent backup to the Knicks' No. 8 overall pick, Frank Ntilikina. This season, the six-foot Australian, who came in ninth in voting for the Sixth Man of the Year award, averaged 9.5 points and 3.5 assists in 21.9 minutes per game. This numbers rose in his eight starts, averaging 12.1 points and 5.9 assists in 28.2 minutes per game.

The addition of Mills would give the Knicks a great deal of flexibility in their backcourt. While clearly one of the more explosive backup point guards in the league, Mills has also shown demonstrable proficiency when inserted into a starting role. With Ntilikina gradually adjusting to the league next season, the presence of Mills in both a backup and starting role would be of great benefit for Ntilikina and the Knicks as a whole.

Mills' most impressive performance last season came during a road win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Playing 28 minutes, Mills posted 23 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals. He also shot 5-of-7 from behind the three-point line and was a +17 while on the floor.

Mills' importance to the Spurs is clear, particularly when his production is at a high level. Last season, Mills shot 41.4 percent from three-point range on 1.8 makes per game. Overall, Mills had 22 games where Mills hit three or more three-pointers. The Spurs compiled a 20-2 record over these games, with Mills averaging 15.4 points on 57.9 percent shooting from downtown.

Mills will be 29 to begin next season, representing possibly his last chance at a big pay-day. A conservative estimate in the three-year, $30 million range is not out of question for a player whose presence in the locker room will be on par with value on the court. As an unrestricted free agent, and with the Spurs facing salary cap pressures of their own, Mills is certainly an attainable player for the Knicks this summer.

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3. Jeff Teague, Indiana Pacers

Despite coming off a very productive season, Teague's one season in Indiana could be his last.

At 29 and still in his prime, the speedy point guard is naturally going to be the subject of plenty of interest. With the triangle now a thing of the past following Jackson's departure as team president, there appears to be a mutual interest between the Knicks and Teague.

ESPN's Knicks' beat writer, Ian Begley, reported the following:

"With Phil Jackson out and the triangle de-emphasized, the Knicks, under general manager Steve Mills, have interest in free agent point guard Jeff Teague, league sources told ESPN. League sources say the interest in Teague is mutual. The Knicks, under Mills, had talked to the Hawks about trading for Teague two years ago."

This season with the Pacers, Teague averaged 15.3 points, 7.8 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. An All-Star in 2015, Teague also recorded a career-high 16 double-doubles, while his assist count was also a career high.