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It’s not necessarily Jalen Brunson or Bust.
While the Mavericks’ free agent is clearly the Knicks’ primary target to fill their cavernous hole at point guard, there are other ways the team can improve after they’ve released, and plan to, nearly $20 million in cap space to create more.
The Post’s Zach Braziller breaks down some other possibilities as free agency time approaches:
Malcolm Brogdon
The Pacers placed the 29-year-old lead guard on the trading block after having young backcourts like Tyrese Haliburton and first-round pick Bennedict Mathurin to build around. Brogdon is within reach for the Knicks.
The former Virginia star was a prolific player during his six-year NBA career, averaging 15.5 points, 4.8 assists and 37.6 percent shooting from 3-point range.
He comes at risk of injury. Brogdon appeared in just 36 games last year and has not featured in more than 64 competitions in a single season since his rookie year. It’s also expensive. According to Spotrac, he owes $22.6 million in 2022-23 and $22.5 million in the following two seasons.
Dejount Murray
He’s by far the least likely of the options on this list, and it would take a lot. However, according to the Bleacher Report, the rebuild Spurs are poised to move Murray for multiple first-round picks. The Knicks have 11 first-round picks over the next seven years and four in next year’s draft.
The 6-foot-4 guard would be a franchise changer, and playing Murray alongside RJ Barrett would give coach Tom Thibodeau one of the better back spots in the league. Murray has had a phenomenal season in which he has 21.1 points, 9.2 assists and 8.3 rebounds and is still only 25 years old with two years left on his contract.
Tyus Jones
The former Duke star has carved himself a strong role with the Grizzlies and has emerged as a key figure in one of the league’s best young rosters this year. As a free agent, Jones can now make money.
A high-profile defenseman who rarely turns the ball over himself, he’s enduring the best season of his career, in just 21.2 years with 8.7 points, rebounds (2.4) and 3-point defeats. Shooting (39.0 percent) career-best minutes per game. His numbers were even better when Ja Morant dropped out and his role expanded, with the 6-foot Jones recording 12.7 points and 6.6 assists in 23 games.
After Tennessee’s Memphis Kennedy Chandler lands in the NBA draft, Jones will likely be headed for a new team.
Ricky Rubio
As with Brogdon, there are injury concerns. He has a cruciate ligament tear and at 31 is getting on in years. But he’s a true point guard who can really lead a team, something the Knicks have obviously lacked for years.
Rubio had a great season for the Cavaliers last year before getting injured and recording 13.1 points and 6.6 assists. The Knicks could give him a light workload, alternating in Derrick Rose, Immanuel Quickley and Miles “Deuce” McBride at this point.
Kyle Anderson
He’s a native of Fairview, NJ and wouldn’t be too expensive. The 6-foot-9 Anderson is no star — his best season was 2020-21 with the Grizzlies when he averaged 12.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists — but he does a lot of things well.
Perhaps most importantly for the Knicks, the free-agent forward can defend and be a secondary playmaker. Last season, he posted a 106 defensive rating, which is Memphis’ best.
It wouldn’t be a splashy move, but it could be effective, especially if the Knicks can’t land a new point guard and could field more high-level passes.
