5 free agents Knicks could pursue with non-taxpayer mid-level exception

When the Knicks and Josh Hart agreed to extend the Sunday midnight deadline for the wing’s player option to Thursday night right before free agency, a potential roster upgrade became a possibility.

If Hart opts into the final year of his contract, he would be eligible to sign a four-year extension worth up to $80 million with the Knicks in August.

On top of that, the Knicks would be able to utilize their full non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Worth $12.4 million, the exception would allow New York to make a run at some of the top mid-tier players available on the market.

It could help the team this offseason, even though there are some potential drawbacks for the team’s future flexibility.

If the Knicks spend more than $5 million of the midlevel exception, the team will be hard-capped if it reaches the $172 million apron, meaning the team would not be able to spend above $172 million in team salary.

If they decide to go that route, there are some quality players that should be available around the MLE. Here’s a look at 5 free agents the Knicks should consider with all or some of the exception.

Donte DiVincenzo

It’s clear that DiVincenzo has the most connections to the Knicks of any possible free agent. He played at Villanova with both Jalen Brunson and Hart. He’s also a CAA client, which ties him even closer to the Knicks, who have several players on the roster as CAA clients.

SNY’s Ian Begley said on Wednesday that there was mutual interest between both the Knicks and DiVincenzo, and it makes sense why.

DiVincenzo had a bounce-back year in Golden State, shooting 39.7 percent from three. He’s a quality rebounder and defender at his position and is capable of making plays in a pinch as a ball-handler while attacking off the ball.

New York already has a full rotation with Brunson and Immanuel Quickley at the point guard position and RJ Barrett, Hart and Quentin Grimes on the wing.

One would think that DiVincenzo could be an alternate option to a potential sizable contract offer to Quickley as his contract extension talks approach this summer or any other potential moves the Knicks are thinking of this offseason.

Bruce Brown

The market for newly crowned NBA champion Brown should be crowded. Brown was a revelation for Denver, filling in various roles throughout the season.

He was capable as a sixth man but also made 31 starts while increasing his shot attempts from three and making them at a consistent rate.

Brown has played several different roles throughout his young career, including screener and short roller with the Brooklyn Nets and a traditional starting point guard for a rebuilding Detroit Pistons.

Brown’s improved outside shooting and ability to shape-shift into various roles will make him attractive to several winning teams, including the Knicks.

Though his skillset overlaps with some of New York’s roster, Brown is malleable, making him worthy of consideration.

There should be offers for the full MLE and possibly more for Brown if any teams with significant cap space strike out on other free agent targets. Plus, Brown might be enticed to return to the Nuggets, despite the team only being capable of offering a maximum of $7.8 million.

Josh Richardson

Richardson’s name doesn’t carry the same weight as it did when he was a key piece of the four-team trade that brought Jimmy Butler to the Miami Heat in 2019. In fact, he’s played for four teams since and hasn’t been able to find a home.

Richardson is a solid wing and probably a rung below DiVincenzo and Brown. Still, he is sure to grab a significant portion of the $12.4 million MLE.

It’s hard to find players capable of guarding both backcourt positions while knocking down a consistent amount of outside shots, something that Richardson has generally been able to do throughout his career (36.5 percent from three).

Torrey Craig

Craig likely won’t require the entire MLE, but he could have several different suitors, including the Phoenix Suns team he played for last year. The Suns are deep into the luxury tax so it wouldn’t be a shocker if they do everything they can to keep Craig and retain some depth on a severely thin roster.

At 6-foot-7, Craig can guard three positions and has been one of the more consistent wing defenders in the NBA over the past several seasons. A career 34.7 percent three-point shooter, he shot a career-high 39.5 percent last year.

Georges Niang

With Obi Toppin’s name coming up in the rumor mill as a trade target, the Knicks could have a backup option in Niang.

Toppin and Niang are completely different players. While Toppin has never been fully comfortable in the role of floor spacer, Niang thrives.

Niang is accurate, shooting 40.1 percent from the three-point line on a high volume of attempts: 76.5 percent of the 6-foot-7 forward’s shot attempts this past season were threes.

Though the Knicks would lose the supreme athleticism of Toppin, Niang fills a need as New York was the worst three-point shooting team in the playoffs at 29.2 percent.