New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony wants more scoring help, and the front office is trying to give it to him. Not only are the Knicks likely to acquire Andrea Bargnani, but they have also expressed interest in Milwaukee Bucks free agent Monta Ellis, according to CBS Sports' Ken Berger.
NBA free agent rumors: Knicks reportedly interested in Monta Ellis
The Knicks are trying to give Carmelo Anthony more scoring help, and they have shown interest in Bucks free agent Monta Ellis. New York can only offer Ellis a contract of just over $3 million a year.
Ellis in New York is quite the long shot, as the Knicks only have the taxpayer mid-level exception of $3.18 million to offer free agents from other teams. Ellis just opted out of an $11 million deal with the Bucks, so it’s difficult to imagine him taking that much of a discount just to play for a contender.
However, Ellis reportedly would be willing to "compromise" on a contract in order to play for a contending team. The Knicks may not be able to bring back free agent J.R. Smith, so perhaps they could try and sell Ellis on being a No. 2 guy even at that lower price. Ellis would certainly fill a potential hole left by Smith, as they are very similar players.
In addition to the Knicks, the Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns all reportedly expressed interest in Ellis at the outset of free agency. Out of those teams, the Spurs and Suns will likely have the most cap space to offer Ellis a lucrative deal.
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