NBA Notes: Knicks, roster, Pistons, Cade Cunningham, Heat

Knicks

The defending champion Knicks still have some roster work to do, particularly behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond.

New York has 13 players on guaranteed standard contracts and sits roughly $3.27 million below the second tax apron, according to Yossi Gozlan of CapSheets. Owner James Dolan has already indicated that the Knicks don’t intend to cross the second apron this season.

That leaves them searching for another center without much financial wiggle room.

The Knicks have been linked to several young big men this offseason, including Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic of the Pelicans and Moussa Diabate of the Hornets. They also signed Mavericks restricted free agent Moussa Cisse to an offer sheet, only for Dallas to match it.

Ian Begley of SNY has reported that New York has contacted multiple free agent centers. The expectation is that the Knicks could bring several big men to camp on non-guaranteed contracts and let them compete for the job.

The Knicks also have second-round pick Tyler Nickel unsigned and all three of their two-way slots available.

Pistons

Cade Cunningham says reports of his offseason recruiting efforts may have gotten a little carried away.

The Pistons star pushed back on a July report suggesting he had been “very involved” in trying to recruit prominent players to Detroit.

“I don’t know where that report came from,” Cunningham said, via Pistons Talk. “I never told anybody that I talked to XYZ. I wouldn’t say that report was all the way true either.”

Cunningham added that he generally stays out of the Pistons’ personnel maneuvering.

“I don’t get into all the tinkering,” he said. “I just kind of let our staff do their job.”

Heat

Norman Powell’s departure from Miami apparently did have something to do with the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that the Bucks’ insistence on including Bobby Portis in the Antetokounmpo trade helped squeeze Powell out financially.

Taking on Portis’ $14.5 million salary contributed to Miami being hard-capped at the first apron, leaving the Heat unable to make a competitive offer to Powell. He eventually signed with Chicago for $21.5 million.

Winderman notes that Miami potentially could have approached that figure had Portis not been included and the Heat not subsequently given Tim Hardaway Jr. a $6.1 million contract.

As for another former Heat player, don’t necessarily expect a Haywood Highsmith reunion.

Winderman views Highsmith and Gabe Vincent as more of “back-burner possibilities” for Miami. Highsmith, who was waived by Phoenix this week, turns 30 in December and appeared in only seven games last season following knee surgery.

The Heat also appear to have a more pressing need at center.