Greg Monroe passes on Knicks in free agency setback

Yahoo Sports reported Monroe will receive a three-year, $50 million deal from the Bucks.

If that is the case, the Knicks can now focus on centers, such as Robin Lopez, to come in as a rim protector next to Anthony.

Jordan, it seems, is torn between the Clippers and the Mavs, even after meeting with Clippers coach and GM Doc Rivers, owner Steve Ballmer, and president of business operations, Gillian Zucker. The New Orleans Pelicans acquired him via sign-and-trade in 2012, with Lopez starting all 82 games that season.

Los Angeles isn’t really a free agent destination, but adding Lopez to a core that could include Kobe, D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle is much better than anything they put on the floor previous year.

Check here for more on the Knicks and National Basteball Association free agency. But the unique contingency plan suggests the Knicks clearly prefer Jordan and were going to make Lopez wait otherwise. If Lopez ends up in New York, he’ll be the second free agent picked up by Phil Jackson and the Knicks in the 2015 offseason.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports that “rival National Basteball Association executives” believe that Pat Riley told LaMarcus Aldridge to sign a short deal so the Heat can offer a deal next year. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports that the Mavericks, Kings and Knicks all are interested in Beverley, while Sacramento is “making a push” for Rondo.

The $12-$13 million per season that the two sides have reached a level of comfort with coincides perfectly with the market standards set over the first two days of free agency. The Lopez deal is important for the Knicks, as they missed out on Greg Monroe and don’t appear to be in the mix for Aldridge.