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Free agency just began, but things aren't off to a promising start for the New York Knicks. LaMarcus Aldridge is seemingly not even considering the team. Neither is Marc Gasol. DeMarre Carroll signed with the Raptors before New York could get him in a room and offer the same deal. Now it seems like Phil Jackson might end up using all that cap space on Greg Monroe, Jeremy Lin and an inept shooting guard trying to learn how to shoot with his off hand.
Clearly, the Knicks no longer have the appeal they once had. And as if the fact that not a single All-Star level free agent is even considering signing with them wasn't enough, here comes David West to hammer that point home. West, who opted out of his contract a year early with the Pacers, and in doing so left $12 million on the table, was interviewed by Bob Kravitz of Indianapolis' WTHR.com Wednesday night. Kravitz asked him about a recent report stating West would "very likely" be joining the Knicks.
West said the rumors about him going to the Knicks are ridiculous; he wants to be with a contender; the Knicks don't qualify.
— Bob Kravitz (@bkravitz) July 2, 2015
West, who at the age of 34 can no longer play at the level he used to, remains a solid contributor. He's coming off a season in which he averaged 11.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 28.7 minutes per game. Why did he opt out of his deal with Indiana and what's he looking for in his new team?
"At this point in my career, I just want to win," West told WTHR.com in an exclusive interview Wednesday night. "I'm just not sure the Pacers are in title contention right now. I'm going into my 13th season. I'll be 35 soon. When I got to Indiana, there was hope of getting there and we played at a really high level for a couple of years. But I just don't know if the team is in the position to win right now and I didn't know if I'd have that opportunity to win a title if I'd stayed with the Pacers."
But all that is burying the lede. Here we have a respected NBA player essentially saying he has no respect for the Knicks, or interest in signing with them. Phil Jackson might have a bunch of rings, but so far, they've done nothing more than look shiny.