LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Paul Clownin on Snapchat
The New York Knicks have had a big offseason so far and are hoping to make even more moves in the near future. They were able to acquire Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls and opened free agency with the news that they expected to sign Joakim Noah to a four-year contract. Now, they are hoping to fill their need at the shooting guard position.
Eric Gordon seems to be likely to sign with the Knicks, although there is another player that the Knicks could end up targeting depending on how things go with his current negotiations.
According to a report from NBA reporter Tommy Dee, the Knicks have an interest in signing Dwyane Wade.
Add Dwyane Wade"s name to the top of the #knicks list should Durant pass on NY, per sources.
Tommy Dee (@ThomasCDee) July 1, 2016
The #Knicks are swinging for the fences, I"m told, with the goal of landing Durant or Wade. They are going for it all.
Tommy Dee (@ThomasCDee) July 1, 2016
The #knicks can blow Wade away with an offer and years, something many wanted them to do last year.
Tommy Dee (@ThomasCDee) July 1, 2016
Needless to say, this would be a huge pickup for the Knicks to say the very least. They would create a big four with Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Rose, and Kristaps Porzingis. Add in the defensive enforcer, and offensive support that Noah would be, and the Knicks could immediately have a serious playoff contender in the Eastern Conference.
[AP Photo/Joel Auerbach]Last season with the Miami Heat, Wade looked to show off a bit of his former self. He seemed rejuvenated and ended up averaging 19.0 points, 4.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. Wade also shot 45.6 percent from the field overall in the regular season and showed off a three-point shooting ability in the postseason at 52.2 percent.
At 34-years-old, Wade is done playing games and will threaten to leave the Heat if they dont give him the deal that he wants.
Pat Riley is far from being done with Wade, however, and there is a good chance that the two sides will work out a deal in the near future. Now that the Heat organization has locked up Hassan Whiteside, there is no reason why the Heat front office wouldnt turn its attention to Wade. Kevin Durant is still a target for the Heat, although he appears likely to re-sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
There will be plenty of other teams interested in signing Wade if he does end up leaving Miami as well. Cleveland could be an option for the star shooting guard, while other teams like the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs could also have an interest in pursuing Wade.
Phil Jackson would need to be extremely aggressive in his pursuit of Wade. He would need to offer a big deal and be able to sell Wade on the opportunity to win a title with Rose, Anthony, and Porzingis. That would be easier said than done, but the draw of playing in New York at Madison Square Garden is still a real thing.
[AP Photo/Alex Brandon]If the Knicks were able to sign Wade, they would immediately leap up to the top-five in the Eastern Conference. The conference as a whole is fairly weak, and the moves that New York has already made have put them back in postseason contention.
While the Knicks can offer Wade a good deal, there is a good chance that the aging star will be searching for a more comfortable situation with a better opportunity to compete for a championship.
New York could make a play for Wade and likely will make an offer, but it doesnt seem too likely that Wade will give the Knicks much consideration. He will be able to choose who he wants to play for, and a franchise that has struggled like the Knicks have in recent years certainly is at a disadvantage.
Do you think that the New York Knicks are a serious contender to sign Dwyane Wade if he leaves the Heat? Would he be the player that makes the Knicks a legitimate title contender? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
[AP Photo/Aaron Gash]
Source: http://www.inquisitr.com/3262937/nba-rumors-new-york-knicks-to-sign-dwyane-wade-in-nba-free-agency/
