New York Knicks Rumors: Delonte West on Team's Radar, Report Reveals
The Knicks are reportedly taking another gamble in their free agent acquisitions this summer, with their pursuit of troubled guard Delonte West.
New York is looking for another backup point guard to replace Jason Kidd, who is now the coach of the Brooklyn Nets. West would join Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni as the Knicks point guard trio if he joins the team. The Memphis Grizzlies are also interested in the 30-year-old, who last played for the Dallas Mavericks in 2011-2012 season. West was supposed to rejoin the Mavericks in 2013, but was released during training camp after he was suspended twice for conduct detrimental to the team.
There are a handful of point guards still left in the free agent markei, and the Knicks were talking to New York native Sebastian Telfair in early July, according to the New York Post. However, West would come at a far greater discount than the other players available, and salary cap relief is paramount to the Knicks because of their luxury tax expenses. He would also provide defense and toughness, two areas in which New York can perhaps use help.
Adding West to the Knicks roster may be a high-risk, high-reward acquisition since he suffers from bipolar disorder and was arrested for gun possession in September 2009.
In a recent interview with Slam Magazine, West expressed a desire to return the NBA and distance himself from his past transgressions.
"When I get another chance, I'm going to put the blinders on," he said. "After this, I'm just breaking free of that stigma, letting stuff go, putting that stuff behind me. I'm going to show that I've grown, stats-wise and person-wise."
With the Dallas Mavericks, West averaged 9.6 points and 3.2 assists in 24.1 minutes per game, and he has almost identical career averages.
