The Knicks didn’t get their top men in free agency last summer, but now they have something to sell — potentially a .500 record and two marquee pieces in Carmelo Anthony and rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis. The duo surely could use a point guard.
What do you think, Mike Conley?
The Grizzlies point guard won’t be able to audition for the Knicks on Saturday at FedExForum as he will miss his sixth straight game with a strained left Achilles.
Conley, who never has made an All-Star team and is not in the top 10 in voting among Western Conference guards, still remains the top point guard on the free-agent market this summer. Sources have indicated the Knicks and Nets will be all over Conley, as the New York squads are two of the few NBA teams in the market for a top-notch starting point guard.
Knicks coach Derek Fisher showed his cards on how much he thinks of the gritty former Ohio State playmaker after Friday’s practice.
Like Fisher, Conley is from Arkansas. Like Fisher was, Conley is a left-handed point, which the Knicks coach considers an edge. (Conley does non-basketball things right-handed.)
“Obviously an Achilles injury is a tough one to take a chance on, especially with a guy that’s as important to Memphis as Mike has been,’’ Fisher said. “It seems like it always works out that those guys come back against you. So the chances are we’ll see Conley, which will make our jobs a lot harder. But like we’ve talked about before, we’re trying to become the best at some point, so you’re going to have to go through the best to get there.’’
It turns out the Knicks won’t see “the best’’ of Memphis. In fact, Memphis insiders indicated the club was considering shutting Conley down for a period, but after 24 hours of consultations, will leave him as “day-to-day.’’
“We’re hoping to be able to come up with a timetable in the next little bit,’’ Memphis coach Dave Joerger said at Friday’s practice. “It’s the right thing to do, especially for our fan base on what’s going on and explain what we’re looking at. He was playing very well for a couple of weeks there. It’s unfortunate he keeps getting nicked up.’’
Conley lobbied hard for 2015 free-agent center Marc Gasol to remain in Memphis last summer, and he signed a five-year deal. Nevertheless, with the Grizzlies (22-19) no longer looking like a Western beast, Conley could decide the window has closed on Beale Street.