The New York Knicks have made several free-agent signings, and I think all of them have been good, except two of them. I did not like signing Wayne Ellington, and Elfrid Payton, when you already have a surplus of guards. I understand that Wayne Ellington provides shootings so I understand signing him, even if he is taking minutes away from your young guards, but the signing I absolutely do not like is signing Elfrid Payton to a two-year, $16 million dollar deal.
The New York Knicks already have plenty of point guards to further develop:
The Knicks already have Dennis Smith Jr and Frank Ntilikina, along with Kadeem Allen on a two-way deal, and Allonzo Trier, who can play the point guard position. There is no need to sign another point guard, who will take minutes away from developing your young point guards.
Dennis Smith Jr. has loads of athleticism and needs more game experience, and Frank Ntilikina already is a great defensive player, something the Knicks haven’t had for twenty years, yet they’re trying to get rid of him. Those two guards should be getting all 48 minutes because its a necessity to develop further. This upcoming season should be about developing the in house talent, not making the playoffs, although I do think the Knicks could compete for the 8th playoff seed.
Elfrid Payton has been in the NBA longer than either of the Knicks main two guards have and has less potential than both Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr. Elfrid Payton is not going to turn into a star, or even a serviceable starter, he is a backup, and that’s not a knock on Payton, it’s just that he doesn’t have the potential of the other two point guards.
The Knicks should not be employing a career back-up, let alone paying him $8 million dollars a year, to stand in the way of the development of two young point guards.
Maybe the Knicks will flip Elfrid Payton to a contender in need of a backup point guard, I would be okay with keeping Payton until the trade deadline if that means getting future assets. The same goes with all the other players the Knicks signed, minus Julius Randle. I think the Knicks will flip them all for future second-round picks, and then spend the second half of the season prioritizing development of there younger players, with more potential than the veterans they just signed to two-year deals.