The New York Knicks haven't always been able to sign the biggest names in free agency. However, in recent years, they've managed to get excellent production from some under-the-radar signings.

With the Knicks looking to sign some free agents when the signing period begins June 30, we decided to look at the best free-agent signings in Knicks history. They're history has been somewhat spotty in this area, but we were still able to come up with a pretty formidable list of the Knicks' best free-agent signings of all time.

Anthony Mason

We now turn the clock back a bit for our next player on the list. We go all the way back to 1991, when the Knicks signed a then-25-year-old Anthony Mason.

Throughout his five seasons in New York, Mason did not exactly fill up the stat sheet night in and night out. Although, he did average 14.6 points (on 56.3 percent shooting), 9.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 0.8 steals in the 1995-96 season. Nonetheless, the former Sixth Man of the Year winner's contributions for the team went way beyond the box score.

What makes the Mason signing so valuable for the Knicks is the fact that this burly 6-foot-7 forward pretty much embodied New York's rough and no-nonsense type of play during the '90s. Playing alongside the likes of Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley, Mason helped build this frontcourt's reputation as being one of the roughest and toughest in the entire league.

John Starks

Talking about '90s Knicks basketball, one cannot overlook the contributions of one John Starks. The 6-foot-3 guard was pretty much a nobody when New York signed him as a free agent in 1990. As a matter of fact, the Golden State Warriors waived Starks as a rookie, and he wound end up playing in the CBA and the WBL during his sophomore year before being unearthed by the Knicks.

Starks played six eventful seasons in New York, and the best of them would have to be his 1993-94 campaign, when he played in his one and only All-Star Game. That season, the former Oklahoma State standout averaged 19.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.9 triples per game. That season, Starks helped the Knicks reach the NBA Finals — their first trip in over two decades — only to be defeated by the Houston Rockets.

Allan Houston

As destiny would have it, the beginning of the end for Starks' career in The Big Apple was marked by the arrival of 6-foot-6 shooting guard Allan Houston. The Tennessee alum signed with New York as a free agent in 1996 at the end of his rookie deal with the Detroit Pistons. He was one of the league's biggest rising stars at that point, and the Knicks were more than happy to snag him from the grip of the Pistons.

Houston made an immediate impact upon his arrival, pushing Starks to a bench role — and rightfully so. Houston's most memorable season is perhaps the 1998-99 campaign, which is when he led the Knicks to an unlikely trip to the NBA Finals. Being the eighth seed in the East, the odds were not in the favor of New York, but they were still able to memorably upset the top-seeded Miami Heat in the first round. Houston and company swept the Atlanta Hawks in the second round and defeated the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. They would, however, succumb to the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals.

In nine seasons with the Knicks, Houston averaged 18.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.5 3-pointers.

Jalen Brunson

Coming off a disappointing season in 2021-22 in which they failed to make the playoffs, the Knicks were looking to make a splash in free agency. They accomplished that by signing former Dallas Maverick Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract.

The jury is still out on this contract, but in his first season, Brunson set career highs in average points (24.0), assists (6.2), steals (0.9), and 3-pointers made (2.0) per game. He also had a career-high 3-point field-goal percentage (41.6). If he continues to play at this level, he might challenge for the best free-agent signing in Knicks history

Julius Randle

In the summer of 2019, Julius Randle wasn't the biggest name available and probably wasn't the Knicks' first choice to sign. However, he's thrived in New York after signing a three-year $62.1 million contract.

In fact, in his second season with the Knicks, Randle made the NBA All-Star team. The Knicks rewarded Randle's stellar play by signing him to a four-year $117 million contract in the summer of 2022 after his initial contract expired.

In four seasons with the Knicks, Randle has averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds per game and has made two All-Star teams. His accomplishments make him the best free-agent signing in Knicks history.