The Knicks May Reportedly Make A Large One-Year Offer To DeMarcus Cousins

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The Knicks are trying to make a swing in this summer’s free agency. Their chances at getting one of the main names they’re after feel slim, but they’re definitely going to give it their best shot. The biggest fish in the sea? Kevin Durant. New York wants to convince Durant to come play in Manhattan, but it’s gonna take a strong case and a supporting cast they just don’t have.

So what do the Knicks do after that? Go spend big money on a B-level star? Well yes, but also no? The Knicks future is uncertain, but they have plenty of cap space to spend.

Instead of letting that go to waste, why not spend a big amount of it in the short term on a player like DeMarcus Cousins? According to Marc Stein of The New York Times, that’s exactly what they’re thinking.

This is an interesting path for New York. In the past, when the Knicks strike out in free agency, they go find the biggest name possible and give him as much money for as long as they can. Maybe the Knicks have finally learned their lesson from past mistakes, but it also feels like Cousins is the type of star who’s going to demand far more than a single year on his contract. He just finished out a one-year deal with the Warriors, and it would make sense for him to want some stability now, considering his injured past.

Of course, there’s no danger in trying. If the Knicks can convince Cousins to come in for a season, and he ends up being great, then they can give him more money in the future and maybe even get a second star next to him. That’s the pitch, anyways. Considering their situation, and how unlikely it is they’ll land a top name free agent, this might be the best alternative available to them.

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