Knicks Show Interest in Sean Williams, Should Sign Andray Blatche

Added by Stephen Zimkouski on September 5, 2012.

Andray Blatche would be a nice signing for the Knicks off the bench.

The New York Knicks have shown an interest in signing Sean “SWAT” Williams to sure up their 15-man roster. Williams has been an underachiever since his arrival to the NBA in 2007.

Williams was supposed to be a defensive eraser and a shot blocker to the caliber of a Dwight Howard or Serge Ibaka. While that has not materialized, Williams is still only 25 years old and has enough potential and time to right the ship in becoming a solid NBA player, although it looks bleak.

Should the Knicks sign Williams or wait for the price of other veteran big men to drop in the possibility of bringing in a higher caliber player?

The Knicks only have a veteran minimum contract that they can offer a player. With Kenyon Martin, Andray Blatche, Louis Admundson and Chris “Birdman” Andersen available, the Knicks should wait and see if the price for one of those veterans goes down.  I expect Kenyon Martin and Louis Admundson to get above the minimum as they both showed that they can be solid contributors to a contending team by bringing both energy and toughness off the bench. Andersen would not make as much sense as the Knicks have Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas who are more suited to be centers at this stage of their career.

With that said, it leaves us with Andray Blatche, who I think the Knicks should sign.

Blatche can still be a star in the NBA if put in the right situation. He has all the tools athletically at 6’11 and 260lbs. He also has all the skills to dominate most power forwards in the league with his mix of an inside and outside ability. Blatche has come out and said that he’s willing to go anywhere that will give him an opportunity to play and the Knicks and Brooklyn Nets seem to be showing the most interest in the Syracuse native as of now.

With talent like Blatche’s, I think it would be a no-brainer to take a one-year flyer on him. You can make the argument that Sean Williams is also a high potential player, but, in their best years, Blatche averaged 16.8ppg and 8.2rpg to Williams 5.6ppg and 4.4rpg. Blatche is the more talented player now and has the higher ceiling.

The Knicks should offer him a contract immediately for the veteran minimum. Blatche would receive solid minutes off the bench and more importantly a chance to prove himself and possibly resurrect his NBA career.