NBA Free Agency: Should New York Knicks Sign Javonte Green?

Javonte Green, who played 32 games with the Chicago Bulls, last season, could potentially help the New York Knicks solve their outside shooting woes.

The New York Knicks are putting their finishing touches on the roster ahead of their Oct. 25 season opener at home against the Boston Celtics. While the roster appears full, there may be a need down the line for someone who can boost the team's three-point shooting and defense.

Adam Fromal of Bleacher Report, listing 10 lingering free agents and their ideal landing spots, suggests that the Knicks could be a fit for veteran free agent Javonte Green.

"So long as the 30-year-old recovers fully and then remains healthy, he could contribute as a three-and-D wing filling one more need by experimenting as a small-ball 4," Fromal writes. "The upside of the entrenched options in Madison Square Garden is starting to wear thin, and Green is the rare high-upside flier still available at this stage of the offseason."

Green (24) blocks Al Horford's shot during a game between Chicago and Boston last season

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Green, 30, went undrafted in 2015 and spent four seasons overseas in Spain, Italy, and Germany before returning to the States in 2019 on a deal with the Celtics. The Radford alum spent parts of two seasons in green before he was traded to the Chicago Bulls in March 2021.

In his first full season with the Bulls, Green appeared in a career-best 65 games, including 45 starts, during the 2021-22 campaign. He was limited to 32 games in the most recent season after undergoing a procedure to treat a bone bruise in his knee back in January. 

During his time with the Bulls, Green shot 36.1 percent from three-point range. That figure could be of particular interest in Manhattan: last year, the Knicks were tied for 19th in three-point shooting with a 35.4 percent success rate. That number only got worse in the playoffs, leading to their elimination at the hands of the Miami Heat. Among the 16 NBA playoff competitors, New York was the only team to shoot less than 30 percent from distance during the tournament.

The Knicks already added Donte DiVincenzo in a partial effort to combat their outside woes. Signing a player like Green could be a key to further reversing those negative results.

In the meantime, the Knicks (1-0) resume preseason action on Saturday night at home when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG2).