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Miami Heat Scouting the Enemy: New York Knicks

By Tristan Tucker

TARRYTOWN, NY - SEPTEMBER 30: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait during media day on September 30, 2019 at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Michelle Farsi/NBAE via Getty Images)
TARRYTOWN, NY - SEPTEMBER 30: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait during media day on September 30, 2019 at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Michelle Farsi/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks and Thomas Bryant #13 of the Washington Wizards reach for the ball (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

Even More Off-season Additions

With so many forwards and non-shooters on the overall roster, the Knicks turned their attention to adding floor-spacers. First, they added Wayne Ellington, the former Heat sharpshooter.

Ellington averaged 10.3 points per game on 37.1% shooting from deep on an astounding seven attempts per game. The former 3-point shooting contest contestant was signed to the exact same deal as Payton.

Then Bullock was added from the Lakers, who had been traded there at the 2019 trade deadline from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Svi Mykhailiuk. Bullock averaged 11.3 points on 37.7% shooting from deep, on 6.2 attempts.

To reward Bullock’s strong season, the Knicks gave him a two-year deal at $21 million. That would mark the end of New York’s spending spree.

However, Bullock suffered an injury that put his fitness for the season in question. As a result, the Knicks worked with Bullock to redo his contract, setting it at two-years for $8.2 million, with just $1 million guaranteed next season.

This allowed for the Knicks to pursue free agent forward Marcus Morris, one of the best on the market at the time, despite him having agreed to a deal with the San Antonio Spurs. Bullock will be re-evaluated in early November, and if healthy, he can re-join the team sooner than later. This will give them another scoring punch if Ellington does not work out as intended.

The Morris situation is one of the odder free agent stories in recent years. Morris agreed to join the Spurs, but backed out at last second to sign a one-year, $15 million deal with the Knicks. The deal he received from the Knicks pays more this season than the two-year, $20 million deal he agreed to with the Spurs.

At this point, the Spurs had already traded fan favorite and one of the better 3-point shooters in the league, in Davis Bertans. He was traded to the Wizards in a salary-dump that would have allowed the Spurs to fit the salaries of both Morris and free-agent signing DeMarre Carroll on their payroll. By backing out, Morris made more than enough enemies out of Spurs fans, so the Knicks-Spurs match-ups will be games to watch this year.

Morris adds 13.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists to the Knicks, having shot 37.5% from deep on 5.2 attempts per game. Morris is a potential starter and someone the Knicks can look to for a good amount of scoring. He is an above-average starter if you will.

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