NBA free agency is set to start on Saturday, and the New York Knicks find themselves at the center of several rumors again this offseason. The Knicks are player in free agency every year, and while they've mad some massive mistakes on the open market (the latest of which being Joakim Noah), they also have made some quality signings. Here are their five biggest signings in franchise history:
5) Tyson Chandler
Chandler signed with the Knicks after winning the NBA title with the Mavs, forming a "Big 3" with Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. A defensive stopper during his time in New York, Chandler averaged 10.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game before being traded back to Dallas after three years.
4) J.R. Smith
Yes, the J.R. Smith experience was a fairly short-lived adventure in New York, but there were plenty of good times to go along with all the negatives that plagued him during the last part of his stint in the Big Apple. He signed with the Knicks after a stint in China during the NBA lockout, and won the Sixth Man of the Year Award for the 2012-13 season, his first full year with the team. In total, he averaged 15.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in 213 games with the Knicks.
3) Anthony Mason
Mason didn't put up incredible numbers during his time with the Knicks, but that wasn't his role. He became a fan favorite in the 1990's due to his physical brand of basketball that fit right in with that New York team. He won Sixth Man of the Year in 1995 before he was traded to the Hornets for Larry Johnson.
2) Amar'e Stoudemire
When Stoudemire signed with the Knicks in 2010, he was a bonafide superstar and played that way for several months. However, New York made the massive trade for Carmelo Anthony in February of that first season, and he took a back seat for the rest of his four and a half seasons in the Big Apple. His play declined every year as age and injuries caught up to him, but finished his Knicks career averaging 17.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the floor.
1) Allan Houston
Houston signed with the Knicks after his rookie contract with the Pistons was up, and went on to be New York's starting shooting guard for the next nine seasons. He led the Knicks to an improbable appearance in the 1999 NBA Finals and went four straight seasons where he averaged at least 19.7 points per game. During his entire career with the Knicks, Houston averaged 18.5 points per game and shot 40 percent from three-point range.
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