The 25-year-old averaged just 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds last season with the Washington Wizards, but his tenacity on both ends helped buoy his value.
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At 25 years old, he’s the right kind of signing as an experienced rotation big with a shot at still developing a bit more.
Primarily a bench player in five seasons with the Wizards, the forward/centre’s deal is reportedly worth $2.8 million. He spent the first five years of his career there, and in that time he grew into a solid bench scorer. Signing Seraphin for cheap could be a good deal for the Knicks this season. You know what you are going to get with Boozer, but it is a lot lower of a ceiling.
“Like [Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes] Kanter, he’s a backup big: excellent offensive rebounder, efficient offensively (he’s got one of the best jump hooks in the game),” ESPN Insider’s Amin Elhassan wrote.
This another economically efficient move by Phil Jackson and the Knicks.
And while Seraphin can play power forward in a pinch, his 278-pound frame allows him to slot in more seamlessly at center.
The Knicks offseason seems finally complete now, after adding free-agents Seraphin, Aaron Afflalo, Derrick Williams and Lopez, trading for Kyle O’Quinn and landing Jerian Grant and Kristaps Porzingis on draft day. The Knicks will be much more athletic than in 2015-16, so it could very well work…as long as they don’t expect Carmelo Anthony to guard the perimeter.
But Seraphin needs to prove he deserves that starting role and money. The Knicks signed Seraphin after he had looks from other teams.
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The Knicks last season were an abysmal rebounding and interior defensive team, with Jason Smith getting the majority of minutes at center.
