The Knicks acquired former scoring champion Tracy McGrady on Thursday in a three-team swap with the Rockets and the Kings. The deal left them on the verge of being able to offer two maximum salary contracts to the 2010 free-agent class that could be headlined by LeBron James.
Amar’e Stoudemire could be in the market for one if he decides to leave Phoenix — where he’ll again finish the season after spending the weeks before the deadline atop the trade rumor mill.
Chicago, Washington and Sacramento all cleared enough salary in moves before the 1 p.m. MST deadline to be able to afford a max player, and the Clippers got close.
The Knicks can afford James and perhaps someone else in the class that could include Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. By including Jared Jeffries in the deal for McGrady, whose $22.5 million contract expires after this season, the Knicks removed $6.9 million from next season’s payroll and left them with about $32 million in salary-cap space. Those top free agents would each earn a little more than $16.5 million in the first season of a max deal.
“Let’s put it this way: I think this gives us flexibility,” Knicks president Donnie Walsh said.
