NBA Rumor: Samuel Dalembert To The New York Knicks

I think most Knicks fans would agree that what the team needs more than anything else this summer is a big, shot-blocking presence inside. You can get away with playing Bill Walker and Shawne Williams on the wings because of Carmelo and Amar’e. But the head of an improved defense needs to start inside, and the combination of Ronny Turiaf and Jared Jeffries isn’t getting it done.

This summer, Marc Gasol, Tyson Chandler, DeAndre Jordan and Nene all may be available. But for the Knicks, most of those players are pipe dreams; all four are expected to stay with their selective teams, and even if they were to move, New York wouldn’t be able to offer the most money.

The New York Post has other ideas, and says the Knicks may go after another guy, a center who dropped 8.1 points and 8.2 rebounds a game this past year: Sacramento’s Samuel Dalembert.

According to a source, Dalembert likely would choose the Knicks if their offer is comparable with any others.

Dalembert has strong New York-area ties. He played his senior year in high school at St. Patrick’s in Elizabeth, N.J., before heading to Seton Hall. An avid fundraiser for Haiti’s economic plight, he also likes the visibility of being a voice for New York’s large Haitian population.

If the new labor agreement still contains the $6 million mid-level exception, the Knicks will be in the ballgame. The Kings have two young big men in DeMarcus Cousins and Jason Thompson and may not pay big for Dalembert.

This year, New York was just 26th in the league in defensive rebound rate (71.9) and their total rebound rate was third from last. Among all centers, the 6-11 Dalembert was actually the fifth-best rebounder with a 19.3 rebound rate, trailing only Dwight Howard, Jeff Foster, Chandler and Aaron Gray.

Still, should the Knicks really pursue this? To bring Dalembert in would likely mean giving up on adding a third superstar (Chris Paul, Howard) in 2012 because of financial restrictions (a situation that is shady as it is given that no one knows what effects the lockout will have). Dalembert is also due to turn 30 years old in less than a week, and for the past three years, his numbers and minutes have plateaued.

Dalembert may not be the solution at center, but simply a great plugin. For the Knicks, it’s up to them to decide if they need to drop money on a player who might not be the answer, but perhaps just a step in the right direction.

Should New York bring in Dalembert? Should a center even be their top priority or should they save money for the summer of 2012?

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