Phil Jackson has a busy offseason ahead of him and it all starts at the coming NBA Draft. Though it remains to be seen who he will pick, that is only the tip of the iceberg.
In fact, there is even talk he may trade that pick since the Zen Master is still apparently disappointed at why the Knicks fell to the 4th spot when in fact they had the best odds of landing this year's NBA lottery.
All that is of course water under the bridge and the Knicks have a lot of plans in store. Aside from the rookie draft, the Knicks are keeping tabs on the free agent market.
Among the players they have on their wish list are Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe and DeAndre Jordan, same names that most NBA teams will be going after.
Taking it down a notch, the Knicks could look at possible trade scenarios. And one person that comes into mind is Lance Stephenson.
Stephenson was best known for his playing years in Indiana (Pacers) and that widely popular ear-blowing incident with Lebron James.
Stephenson opted to jump ship and join the Charlotte Hornets, something that has exactly panned out for him and the team. The controversial forward's performance leaves a lot to be desired and word around is that the Hornets could possibly ship Stephenson soon.
Injuries of course had a hand in his performance but that doesn't mean the Hornets are not considering deals right now. He could be considered by the Knicks to give Carmelo Anthony a suitable partner in the front court, giving coach Derek Fisher more options on the offensive end.
Stephenson can also boost the defensive side of the Knicks' fold, having seen him match up with players like James in the past.
While those seem bright spots, there are risks involved. Stephenson has yet to regain that deadly form that endeared him to teams so it will be interesting to see if the Knicks are willing to wait on him.
Lance Stephenson could be a consideration for the Knicks and they could get him at a reasonable price but with risks tied up to it.
If not, there are still other teams who may look into Stephenson. The Miami Heat have shown interest, another team on rebuilding mode.
