Why signing Tony Wroten could say more about Knicks than about Wroten
Tony Wroten isn't a player anymore. He's a philosophy, one to which the Knicks should subscribe.
Phil Jackson & Co. may actually be interested in that doctrine. Here's more from ESPN's Ian Begley:
The Knicks are among several teams who've looked into the possibility of signing free agent guard Tony Wroten, league sources familiar with the team's thinking say.
The Knicks' level of interest in Wroten, who was released by Philadelphia earlier this month, is unclear at this point. But sources say that the club has expressed interest in obtaining a guard via trade or free-agent signing in recent days. They have also been monitoring D League players as potential additions, sources say.
The Knicks have only 14 players under contract, which means there is an open spot on the roster. New York could bring Wroten into town without actually having to release anyone.
An anti-Wroten believer might say the former 76er would be just another guy there to block Jerian Grant's playing time. And, of course, he shot just 34 percent from the field in his eight games with Philly this year. That said, signing Wroten would be more a doctrinal move than a "We need Tony Wroten!" one.
He's still just 22-year-old, and the Knicks are in the midst of a rebuild. They're in a position where—if they can get an athletic, long 22-year-old for a minimum deal and maybe a team option on the following season—they should be giving out those contracts. Maybe the first Tony Wroten doesn't work. But later in the season, there will be another Tony Wroten. And maybe next year or even later again this year, there will be another Tony Wroten. There are always Tony Wrotens out there, floating somewhere in the free-agency abyss.
Not every Tony Wroten will hit. Most of them will remain 34 percent shooters (though Wroten probably isn't actually that bad since you have to imagine his play has been hindered in the process of recovering from an ACL injury that ended his 2014-15 season). But when you find a Tony Wroten you can actually improve or teach to use his body on the defensive end or show how to use his athleticism in a more productive fashion, you've found your diamond, your unexpected, cheap role player who can tack on extra help this season, next season or the season after that.
That's what happened with Langston Galloway, the undrafted free agent who the Knicks brought in last year only to learn that Galloway could actually defend and shoot. Now, he's a fixture in the team's rotation. Not every Tony Wroten blossoms into a Galloway, but considering the limited financial risk on the contract the actual Wroten will command, the reward of signing a bunch of those types probably outweighs the risk for a 15-18 squad still trying to find a way to sustain success.
