Here's the quick synopsis for the Knicks guide to free agency.
FRANCHISE PLAYERS
-Kevin Durant: i'm not convinced Durant can handle the pressure of NY and i'm not convinced his timeline fits the team but he's a top 5 player in the league and isn't that far past his prime
-Kawhi Leonard: a great two-way player, proven winner, and a guy i think can handle NY. plus he's a little younger than a lot of the other free agents so his timeline fits nicely
If either of these two players want to come here, you don't think twice and you give them the max. If both come, then the Knicks are guaranteed to be a Top 3 team in the league.
GREAT PLAYERS BUT NOT FRANCHISE PLAYERS
-Klay Thompson: a great signing as long as he isn't the franchise player
-Kemba Walker: NY-tough, proven clutch, and a great signing as long as he isn't the franchise player
If you are able to pair Durant or Leonard with Thompson or Walker then you do it and you are a Top 6 team in the league
STAY AWAY - DO NOT SIGN
-Kyrie Irving: too injury prone, not a great leader, doesn't make teammates better, isn't a good defender. Kyrie can be an electric scorer at times (when healthy) and can put on fancy moves that look like they are from an AND-1 mix tape, but he's not worth a max contract. I see him as being a very good 3rd best player on a team if the two best players are great two-way players. Stay away. Let him go to Brooklyn, put on entertaining performances (when healthy) at the Barclay's Center for a Nets team that struggles to get a 7th seed in the playoffs and loses first round every year.
-Jimmy Butler: on the one hand, i like Butler's toughness and defense and desire to win, but on the other hand, i think his career is on the way down and he seems to be trouble everywhere he goes. Stay away.
-DeMarcus Cousins: good player, but hasn't proven to stay healthy recently and is not worth the headache that the coaches will have to endure
Let these players be some other team's problem. STAY AWAY!
GOOD PLAYERS BUT NOT WORTH A MAX DEAL
Tobias Harris
Khris Middleton
D'Angelo Russell
These players are solid players and players i like. I just don't think they are worth a max contract nor do i think you can win if they are your 1st or 2nd best player. I would take any of them if the price was reasonable but it won't be. Let some other overpay and regret it.
As far as Anthony Davis goes, he's a great player but not worth trading for. I definitely wouldn't give up the 3rd pick in the draft (our lowest draft pick since Patrick Ewing), any of the future Dallas draft picks, or Mitchell Robinson for him. If the Knicks do any of that they are just dumb and repeating history. I'd love for Davis to come here, as a free agent next year where we don't have to give up anything. If he doesn't want to wait, then it's his loss. The Lakers are a mess and have nothing worth anything to offer the Pelicans and he doesn't want to go anywhere else. Don't give in and overpay.
In summary, if the Knicks can get Kawhi or Durant and pair either of them with Klay or Kemba that would great. If they can pair Kawhi and Durant together that would be amazing. However, Klay isn't coming to NY so that is not going to happen, so basically it's Durant/Kawhi and Kemba. If not, then don't waste the money on anyone else, save cap space for future years or consider trading for Anthony Davis if you don't have to give up Mitchell Robinson or the #3 pick. Commit to a rebuild the right way. We're only year 2 in the rebuild mode (which started when we traded Carmelo). There's no need to get impatient and overpay non-franchise players like Kyrie, Butler, Cousins, Harris, Middleton, or Russell. And no need to give up everything for Davis.