Despite having five guards on the roster, the New York Knicks are still looking to add another backup point guard, hoping to convince Beno Udrih to sign a one-year minimum deal with the team.

While the Knicks have Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni as their first two point guards, you need a third on the roster. Iman Shumpert has been tried at that position briefly during summer league, but that isn’t going to be a long time thing. Meanwhile, with J.R. Smith out for the beginning of the season most likely and Tim Hardaway Jr being the kind of rookie you’re really not sure what you’re going to get out of, the Knicks need another player.

Udrih, 31, is a nine-year veteran in the NBA, playing last season fro the Milwaukee Bucks and the Orlando Magic, averaging 10.2 points per game for the Magic in 27.3 minutes a night, getting a relatively prominent role on a team for the first time in a few years. His best season came during his final one with the Sacramento Kings, averaging 13.7 points and 4.9 assists as their starting point guard.

With the Knicks feeling they’re a little short in the backcourt at the moment, adding Udrih, who is another combo guard who can contribute offensively (35.2% from beyond the arc in his career) in both positions, seems like something they’re not going to give up on.

Udrih has just come off a five-year, $32 million deal, and was hoping to see some action that goes beyond the minimum salary, but under the current CBA and this late in free agency, there’s no chance of actually getting anything. There is always Europe, which usually gives better salaries than the NBA teams do for a player like Udrih, but if he’s intent on remaining in the league for a few more years, signing with the Knicks seems like the best option he has.

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