Of the four New York Knicks veterans with $1M partial guarantees on their contracts for next season, none has a more modest overall salary than guard Reggie Bullock ($4.2M). Given that manageable cap hit, the club will likely pick up Bullock’s option rather than waiving him before his salary guarantee date, a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post.
As Berman explains, interim head coach Mike Miller “fell in love” with Bullock’s basketball IQ, perimeter defense and outside shooting, sticking with the veteran even when fans wanted Miller to pivot to giving younger players more minutes.
The Knicks will likely hire a new head coach at season’s end and there’s no guarantee Miller’s replacement will be as attached to Bullock. However, $4.2M is a fair price for a 29-year-old three-and-D wing and the Knicks will be seeking shooters and “solid veteran influences” for next year’s roster, according to Berman, who notes that Bullock has a positive impact on younger Knicks like RJ Barrett.
Center Taj Gibson ($9.45M), guard Wayne Ellington ($8M), and guard Elfrid Payton ($8M) each have $1M partial guarantees on their salaries for 2020-21 as well, and forward Bobby Portis ($15.75M) has a team option. New York figures to move on from one or more of those players, particularly if the Knicks wants to make use of cap space during the offseason.
