Report: Knicks could use $2.8M room exception to keep Alexey Shved
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The New York Knicks will look a lot different in 2015-16. You may even say they've changed their face.
But, that may not spell the end of Alexey Shved in Gotham.
Shved is an unrestricted free agent and the heavy turnover on the Knicks roster - they've made four signings and added a pair of draft picks who are expected to play in 2015-16 - suggests several pieces from last season's 17-65 squad won't be back. But the team and the shooting guard are rumored to want a reunion, and the first week of free agency apparently hasn't changed that.
The Knicks are considering signing Shved with what's known as the room exception, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. That exception is worth $2.8 million in the first year and can be split between players, but the implication in the report is Shved would take up most of it, coming off of a $3.3-million salary.
The Knicks owned Shved's Bird rights, which would have meant they can go over the cap to re-sign him, but it's believed they needed to renounce those rights to fit their four new players under the cap. They would then require an exception to re-sign Shved, or another target like Caron Butler or Willie Green, who they've reportedly reached out to.
The biggest factor working in Shved's favor is that the Knicks don't want to bring in nine or 10 new players. While he appeared in only 16 games for New York after being acquired at the trade deadline, he impressed by averaging 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists during that stretch.
Shved is said to have other suitors, so salary may be a factor in landing him.