The Knicks as of Friday morning had the worst record in the NBA at 13-51, and President Phil Jackson's "main focus will be on finding the right mix of free agents who can help turn the team around quickly," according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN N.Y. The Knicks are expected to have at least $25M to "spend in free agency this summer." Jackson said free agency will determine "how quickly we can recover and get back in the hunt." He also said that "establishing [a] style of play will be important." Jackson: "It's not about who is going to have to have the most money anymore. That playing field has pretty much evened out, especially with the amount of money that's coming into the league. It's going to be [who's] attractive enough to get the people they want to play their style of play. The way they're doing it. So establishing how you want to play basketball is important." He added, "A hundred and ninety players or so are going to be free agents. Not half the league, but like a third of the league is going to be free agents. So that's where our priority stands." Jackson said that having a "throwaway season in his first full year on the job was not part of his plan." Meanwhile, Jackson addressed the age limit in the NBA, saying, "When you have 19- and 20 year-old players that are coming in the league, which is what the majority of the draft picks coming into the league right now, it's really hard to project what that player is going to be in three years, in the first contract situation. I think everybody would like to see (an age limit rule) happen, everybody but the agents that are out there making the money" (ESPNNY.com, 3/12). In N.Y., Tim Bontemps examines how the Knicks and Nets "can land stars with salary-cap spike" (N.Y. POST, 3/13).
