Be it a team that’s tanking its way into oblivion like the Philadelphia 76ers or a franchise with expectations a bit too high for their current roster like the New York Knicks, there seems to be plenty of demand for Chris Duhon.
According to Yahoo Sports, both teams are in discussions with the point guard regarding next season, which makes it a rare offseason move for the Philadelphia 76ers who are about losing as much as possible next season, or just another name in a long list of point guards the Knicks are looking into, trying to fill their roster with another veteran guard.
Duhon, a nine-year NBA veteran, went through what might be his worst season last year as a marginal backup for the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 2.9 points and 2.9 assists per game on 17.8 minutes a night. His last four seasons have been very disappointing, which have included seasons with the Knicks and Magic as well. He has been at a single digit PER for the past three seasons.
His best season, in fact, came in 2008-2009 with the New York Knicks, averaging 11.1 points and 7.2 assists per game, but his awful shot selection has kept him under 40% from the field in three of the last four seasons.
For the Sixers, it’s just about filling the roster in a season they don’t really care much about. For the Knicks, Duhon might become the third point guard on a team that’s been aggressively going after every decent veteran in the free agent market, especially point guard.
Their number one option is still Beno Udrih, but with the Slovenian looking for more than a minimum contract, it’s unlikely he’ll lower his demands for the New York Knicks or the 76ers, who aren’t planning on paying anyone, especially not a 31 year old, more than a one-year, minimum deal. Duhon isn’t going to be a problem to sign in terms of money, but a guaranteed contract might be the thing that decides where he eventually signs.