The New York Knicks plan on being extremely active upon the start of free agency. That still hasn't stopped the Big Apple franchise from making some savvy moves in the meantime to better position themselves for the players they've been linked to ahead of free agency.
According to The Athletic's Sham Charania, both Taj Gibson and Elfrid Payton have been waived from the Knicks roster, while the Knicks have also elected to decline Bobby Portis' team option for the upcoming year.
The Knicks declined team option on Bobby Portis ($15.7M) and waived Taj Gibson ($10.29M) and Elfrid Payton ($8M), sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Frees up salary space for New York.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 19, 2020
Gibson was at one point thought of to remain with the Knicks, given he and head coach Tom Thibodeau's history, but Gibson's level of play suggests that the Knicks could better use his roster spot on someone more productive. At 35, Gibson has spent 12 years in the league, with most of his best playing days coming from his time with the Chicago Bulls.
At 25, Portis still has a high ceiling, but it doesn't equate to the $15 million price tag that the Knicks were set to hand over to the University of Arkansas product next season. He finished last season averaging 10.1 points along with 5.1 rebounds per game.
The Knicks have been linked to multiple stars ahead of free agency, with one of their rumored targets in Chris Paul already finding a new home with the Phoenix Suns. New York still remains a heavy player, however, seeing as how they can also become a destination for stars that desire to be moved. Players like Russell Westbrook and Gordon Hayward will likely remain on their radar as the offseason continues.
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