TIME’S RUNNING OUT: Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald says the team is focused on winning a title “as soon as possible.” (Neil Miller)
It’s risky business, but Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald said Tuesday the major core of the roster will be back next season as the franchise banks on Amar’e Stoudemire’s knees and J.R. Smith’s head healing.
Grunwald confirmed the Knicks are unable to do a sign-and-trade for free agents Chris Paul or Dwight Howard because of new collective bargaining agreement rules forbidding luxury taxpayers from partaking. They only have the $3.1 million mini-midlevel exception, plus the 24th overall pick in June’s draft.
That $3.1 million exception could partially be used to keep their own free agents, Chris Copeland and Pablo Prigioni. The Knicks are permitted to deal Copeland or Prigioni in a sign-and-trade, however, but can only get back a trade exception, draft pick or cash. The Knicks can then use the trade exception, worth say, $3.2 million, to acquire another player under contract at that dollar amount.
So there’s not a whole lot of big stuff for Grunwald to do other than pray Stoudemire and Smith come back repaired. And the window is closing fast.
“We’re focused on now,’’ Grunwald said. “We’re trying to get to a championship as soon as possible. That’s where our strategy is right now.’’
Smith will opt out of his contract and become a free agent July 1 and the Knicks likely will re-sign him under the early-Bird rights rule for a contract starting at $5.4 million. Smith became the goat of the playoffs, losing his shot and reputation amid Rihanna’s allegations his on-court troubles were due to being “hung over.’’
“It’s best to maintain the continuity if there’s a reason you think you can get better,’’ Grunwald said in a state-of-the-Knicks press conference at the team’s Westchester County practice facility. “I think we can get better. I think we can play better than we did in the playoffs. That’s not to say we won’t explore all our alternatives. That’s my job.
“I’m disappointed in the season but I’m not discouraged about this team. I’m very excited about the future. Obviously we’ve got some work to do. We’re not where we want to be.’’
The Knicks’ championship dreams ended in the second round versus the Pacers, and a major roster upgrade is nearly impossible.
“We can be creative,’’ Grunwald said, referring to the signing and trading of the Knicks’ own free agents. “We’ve got ideas what we can do. We have to be aggressive, not only in players but in terms of existing players getting better.’’
Grunwald said he feels Carmelo Anthony can improve — he declined to say how — but mentioned the major key is Stoudemire, the $100 million man, staying healthy all season and returning to near All-Star form. Coach Mike Woodson wouldn’t rule out starting the six-time All-Star next season and shifting Anthony to small forward.
But Grunwald warned Stoudemire could again be on a minutes limit next season. Stoudemire was on a 30-minute cap for the regular season after returning Jan. 1. He didn’t last, needing a second knee surgery, and played just 29 regular-season games.
“We’ll have to play it by ear,’’ Grunwald said of a minutes cap. “It’s a possibility. He’s a heckuva player. The question is his health and how much he can play. “’We got our medical/training staff working with him in the offseason program to get him to full health. It’s our hope, but no guarantees. We hope he can play significant minutes next year.’’
Grunwald pointed out Stoudemire averaged 17 points and eight rebounds in the last six games he played in March before needing a second surgery. Stoudemire returned for the second round of the playoffs but was a shell of the player he had been.
Woodson said Stoudemire, if sharp, could have made “a major difference’’ versus the big Pacers.
“He could’ve really helped us in that series,’’ Woodson said. “We developed him in the summer to give us some low-post scoring. He wasn’t where we needed him to be based on his injures. That hurt us. I thought when he came back the first time, he was great for us on the block.’’
Like last summer, Stoudemire may refine his new low-post game with Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon in Texas.
Smith’s improvement is more nebulous. He shot a 33.1 percent in the playoffs — a league-low for a rotation player — after winning the league’s Sixth Man Award and the full trust of Woodson.
Grunwald was coy about re-signing Smith but that’s the plan, according to a source. Grunwald doesn’t want to make a public commitment to anyone after last summer’s Jeremy Lin guarantee.
“It’s best to maintain continuity with the same core group together,’’ Grunwald said. “I’m not going to comment on any individual player because we’re not finished with our evaluation. I don’t think you should read that one way or another.’’
“[Smith] has got to grow on and off the court if he plans on being a better player in this league,’’ Woodson said. “If he’s back, it’s my job to continue pushing him in the right direction.’’
Woodson hasn’t ruled out starting Stoudemire — or even Smith — but not both. If Smith starts at shooting guard that alleviates the structural defensive flaw of starting two point guards.
“I haven’t made that decision,’’ Woodson said. “[Stoudemire has] got to come back healthy. That is the major part of this.We have to put him on a program to physically get his legs up under him where he can feel good about himself when we hit the court running.’’