NEW YORK -- Goran Dragic is going to consider all of his options in free agency this summer -- including the New York Knicks.

“Every team that is going to be available for me is going to be an option,” the Phoenix point guard said before Saturday’s game against the Knicks. “I think New York, they have great base of fans, [a] great basketball organization [and] in the past few years they didn’t play so well. ... That luck can change quick. It’s still too soon to think about that.”

Dragic has a $7.5 million player option for the 2015-16 season that he is expected to decline. Phoenix, according to reports, will make re-signing Dragic a priority. But between Isaiah Thomas and Eric Bledsoe, they have $14.4 million dedicated to the point guard position next season.

So Dragic may be deemed expendable. There have also been reports that Phoenix would explore its trade options with the 28-year-old Dragic.

Dragic insisted on Saturday that he’s not thinking about free agency at this point in the season.

Instead, he’s focusing on the daily grind of the NBA season with the Suns.

For what it’s worth, though, Dragic did say that he disagrees with Charles Barkley’s theory that free agents will not be attracted to the Knicks because of the Phil Jackson factor.

“Why not? He did an amazing job with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers,” Dragic told ESPN New York. “I know right now he’s in a different situation -- he’s not coaching that team. But still, I think he has enough knowledge -- he won so many championships -- that he knows what he needs to bring to try to get the team better.”

Dragic added: “You have the great Phil Jackson on this team and then the fans are amazing. Every game is sold out.”

He also didn't think that the Knicks' poor record would be a deterrent for potential free agents.

"It can change quickly," he said.

The Knicks have started the season 5-23. So the light at the end of the tunnel for fans is New York's potential to be a big player in free agency this summer and its first-round draft pick.

The Knicks are expected to have enough cap space to sign a max free agent this summer. So they will have plenty of money to make a strong offer to one of the big names on the market.

It sounds like Dragic will be interested.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/knicks/post/_/id/60470/dragic-knicks-will-be-an-option-in-free-agency

nixluva wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:Well every player says its a possibility. I doubt they will say publicly they have no interest in going to certain place. I wouldnt read too much into it nix

It's just a small example of how there's ALWAYS some interest no matter what the media and some fans want to say. It's no guarantee that he or anyone else would come but his comments show that FA's won't see the team as a disaster like some fans and Barkley have been saying. Players have big ego's and they think they will make a huge difference when they come to a team. They won't be looking at this as such a hopeless situation. Phil still has clout in that players believe he has the right approach to the game and could build a contender.

We've got the money and a great fanbase and place to play. We've got a solid leadership team in place with Phil at the top. I think Phil will be able to convince guys to come here and it doesn't seem like it's gonna be a huge arm twist to get them to consider NY.

CrushAlot wrote:Barkley still has an axe to grind with tge Knicks and he has been very unprofessional in the two games he did the play by play. Clyde saying he turned the sound off because of Barkley should tell you something.
I think the Knicks will need to overpay a little on guys they anticipate will be worth the money down the road like Dallas did with Parsons. I think dolan's money is just as green as any other owners. Ranting about the Knicks situation helps Barkley cover up for an obvious lack of preperation to do his job properly.

StarksEwing1 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:Barkley still has an axe to grind with tge Knicks and he has been very unprofessional in the two games he did the play by play. Clyde saying he turned the sound off because of Barkley should tell you something.
I think the Knicks will need to overpay a little on guys they anticipate will be worth the money down the road like Dallas did with Parsons. I think dolan's money is just as green as any other owners. Ranting about the Knicks situation helps Barkley cover up for an obvious lack of preperation to do his job properly.

i agree BUT despite his hate he does bring up some fair points. I love the knicks but they havent been the smartest organization the past 15 years

nixluva wrote:

F500ONE wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

nixluva wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:Well every player says its a possibility. I doubt they will say publicly they have no interest in going to certain place. I wouldnt read too much into it nix

It's just a small example of how there's ALWAYS some interest no matter what the media and some fans want to say. It's no guarantee that he or anyone else would come but his comments show that FA's won't see the team as a disaster like some fans and Barkley have been saying. Players have big ego's and they think they will make a huge difference when they come to a team. They won't be looking at this as such a hopeless situation. Phil still has clout in that players believe he has the right approach to the game and could build a contender.

We've got the money and a great fanbase and place to play. We've got a solid leadership team in place with Phil at the top. I think Phil will be able to convince guys to come here and it doesn't seem like it's gonna be a huge arm twist to get them to consider NY.

i hope so but lets be honest the money is the main factor

Dragic is just getting a head start on

SHOW ME THE MONEY

And no Dragic won't turn this 20 win team into

a 50 win team next year Nixluva when the record is 0-0 and you're licking your chops

Please grow up! You want brownie points for being right that the team has failed this year? Who the freak really cares? It doesn't get you anything to be right about a team failing this year. It's a prediction. That's all. You're not suddenly a genius just cuz you didn't feel the team would meets it's expectations for this year. How about contributing to the main topic of the thread rather than trying to derail the thread into another of your valueless diversions?

This is one player who expressed WHY it's not unreasonable to think the team can attract Free Agents despite the record this year and the current roster. Barkley assumes that it's gonna be hard to get players to be interested but Dragic explained why he could see himself of any FA being interested in coming here. He spoke clearly about the positives of New York as a city, the leadership of the franchise, the fan base and that he believes the team could be turned around and so why not come here?

I addressed the topic right off the top

Dragic is playing the field like he should be

He will not put himself in a financial position of weakness

He wants to get paid and any team that has money including us he welcomes

Signing here is another story, hell fans thought D-Wade would sign here

Even after he said New York is too cold of a place for him and his family to be

Although trapezoid face grew up in the Windy City and frequents there in the off-season

So it doesn't matter what Barkley says nor any player for the matter

I think what Barkley is saying in the grand scheme of things

We've done ourselves{Phil] no favors with a 5-24 record and he's SPOT ON

nixluva wrote:In terms of Dragic and what he was doing, we all understand that FA's will speak positively and leave doors open but he went beyond that and that is the point of the thread. He actually gave very cogent reasons for why he didn't agree with Barkley. He didn't have to go as far in making the case for NY as he did. IMO it's an example of how FA's think about things. Just cuz Barkley disses Phil and his knowledge of the game doesn't mean that all players feel the same as him. Some are smart enough to respect Phil's knowledge of the game.

Most of the FA's haven't won a title and likely would be very interested to learn from a man with MANY titles under his belt. It's not like this is Memphis or Minnesota. Why not take advantage of the NY spotlight and other opportunities? As for the record Dragic covered that and wasn't phased by the poor record. He instead suggested that teams can make quick turn arounds in the NBA and he's right about that. A couple of good FA signings, maybe a trade and a good draft and this team could look a lot different. Phil is gonna have a lot of roster spots open and some money to spend. Things can change quite a bit.

nixluva wrote:In terms of Dragic and what he was doing, we all understand that FA's will speak positively and leave doors open but he went beyond that and that is the point of the thread. He actually gave very cogent reasons for why he didn't agree with Barkley. He didn't have to go as far in making the case for NY as he did. IMO it's an example of how FA's think about things. Just cuz Barkley disses Phil and his knowledge of the game doesn't mean that all players feel the same as him. Some are smart enough to respect Phil's knowledge of the game.

Most of the FA's haven't won a title and likely would be very interested to learn from a man with MANY titles under his belt. It's not like this is Memphis or Minnesota. Why not take advantage of the NY spotlight and other opportunities? As for the record Dragic covered that and wasn't phased by the poor record. He instead suggested that teams can make quick turn arounds in the NBA and he's right about that. A couple of good FA signings, maybe a trade and a good draft and this team could look a lot different. Phil is gonna have a lot of roster spots open and some money to spend. Things can change quite a bit.

He has to acknowledge Phil's resume because

When-If he comes to negotiate guess who he has to talk to

As he will with the Lakers they have 15 chips

And when they interview Dragic about playing in L.A.

He'll speak of the sweet things that comes with playing in L.A.

Probably even championing Kobe Bryant as a player[Durant recently did but is Kobe making it attractive?]

When Boston clears $4-5mil or more in cap and Dragic is asked about playing there

He'll talk up it as the winning model franchise

nixluva wrote:In terms of Dragic and what he was doing, we all understand that FA's will speak positively and leave doors open but he went beyond that and that is the point of the thread. He actually gave very cogent reasons for why he didn't agree with Barkley. He didn't have to go as far in making the case for NY as he did. IMO it's an example of how FA's think about things. Just cuz Barkley disses Phil and his knowledge of the game doesn't mean that all players feel the same as him. Some are smart enough to respect Phil's knowledge of the game.

Most of the FA's haven't won a title and likely would be very interested to learn from a man with MANY titles under his belt. It's not like this is Memphis or Minnesota. Why not take advantage of the NY spotlight and other opportunities? As for the record Dragic covered that and wasn't phased by the poor record. He instead suggested that teams can make quick turn arounds in the NBA and he's right about that. A couple of good FA signings, maybe a trade and a good draft and this team could look a lot different. Phil is gonna have a lot of roster spots open and some money to spend. Things can change quite a bit.