Martin has been unable to find a home this season, either asking for too much money during the offseason, or struggling to find any teams willing to bring him aboard mid-year. His last stint in the NBA was with the Los Angeles Clippers last year where he signed on halfway through the season again, and went on to average 5.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block in 22 minutes per game.

Apr. 25, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Los Angeles Clippers power forward Kenyon Martin (2) gestures on the court during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 99-93. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

The Clippers were generally better with Martin off the court, however when he was on the court, they were still better than their opponents in field goal percentage, offensive efficiency, defensive rebounding, steals, and blocks. That Martin was still able to help the Clippers perform better than their opponents, despite missing training camp and half the season, says something about his potential on-court worth.

Many Knicks fans were upset about giving up Ronnie Brewer – a player whose worth may have been important on defense come playoff time – and signing on an even older, injury-prone backup power forward. However, Martin could prove to be more valuable than fans think, especially if he’s in shape.

He’s close and has played with Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith before, meaning the learning curve will be slightly easier. Likewise, at the very least, the Knicks will get a backup forward who is taking the spot of two players who aren’t even playing. Unless Martin actually hurts the team in drastic ways while he plays, he is currently an upgrade over Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace.

Finally, at the very worst, the Knicks only have to deal with him for ten days before his contract is voided and they can cut hm. If Martin can’t bring anything to the team, it will only be for a very short period, and then the Knicks can go and look at other options.

That didn’t happen as the Knicks held onto Iman Shumpert, but they did make a small move involving Ronnie Brewer.

According to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Knicks have agreed to a deal that will send Brewer to the Thunder in exchange for a second-round pick. The pick coming to the Knicks will be the Thunder’s own 2014 selection.

Thunder sending Knicks a future second-round pick for Brewer.

— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) February 21, 2013

January 5, 2013; Orlando FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Ronnie Brewer (11) points against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. New York Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic 114-106. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

In the last 10 games, Brewer, who is mired in a horrible shooting slump, has played more than five minutes only once.

The Knicks were shopping Brewer all day to clear a roster spot as they were at the maximum amount of 15 players and didn’t want to release someone and eat their contract.

Now that they have freed up a roster spot, expect the Knicks to add a body via free agency.

They have been linked to both Lou Amundson and Kenyon Martin for some time now, but another option could be to wait until March 1 to see who gets bought out by their current teams.

That could happen to a guy like Jermaine O’Neal, who the Knicks were rumored to be trying to acquire from the Phoenix Suns as early as Wednesday.

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But while it remains to be seen if the Knicks will do anything major to improve their team, it is possible that they could make a minor move- one possibly involving Ronnie Brewer.

According to ESPN’s Jared Zwerling, the Knicks are shopping Brewer around the league.

Sources tell me the #Knicks are shopping Ronnie Brewer. Not sure for who. J. O’Neal (via trade) & L. Amundson (via pickup) are also targets.

— Jared Zwerling (@JaredZwerling) February 20, 2013

It’s not entirely clear who the Knicks are targeting, but they have been linked to the likes of Luke Ridnour, Jared Dudley, J.J. Redick, Jermaine O’Neal and Josh Smith over the course of the past couple of weeks.

January 5, 2013; Orlando FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Ronnie Brewer (11) points against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. New York Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic 114-106. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The problem is that Brewer won’t fetch any of the above mentioned players straight up.

One scenario could be that the Knicks find a team that would take Brewer, who is only making $854k this season, in exchange for a second-round pick. That would free up a roster spot and allow the Knicks to potentially sign a free agent, as they have been linked to both Kenyon Martin and Lou Amundson in the past weeks.

Brewer averaged close to 23 minutes per game in November, but his struggles have led to him being all but removed from the Knicks’ rotation.

But because he is on a minimum salary, it shouldn’t be difficult to find a taker even though the return won’t be anything special.

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As of now, it is unclear of exactly what players are being discussed from the two teams, but according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities, ‘Wolves general manager David Kahn is in talks with the Knicks.

Wolfson tweets that Ronnie Brewer could be headed to Minnesota, but that hasn’t been confirmed. Minnesota did made an offer to Brewer over the summer before he signed with the Knicks.

That’s who I think. #Twolves made him an offer in the summer. He chose NY instead. RT ‏@sportinggoose @darrenwolfson Ronnie Brewer possibly?

— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) February 13, 2013

The most likely scenario is that the Knicks are targeting frontcourt depth, while Minnesota simply needs some healthy bodies at this point as they have been ravaged by injuries this season.

Feb 2, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Greg Stiemsma (34) looks on in the second half after getting a technical foul against the New Orleans Hornets at Target Center. The Timberwolves 115-86 Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The Wolves have been shopping Luke Ridnour, according to Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com, but the Knicks, like the Wolves, seem set at point guard. The Wolves’ most glaring need is at the 2-guard position, and while shooting guard Iman Shumpert’s name has been linked to the Suns, it doesn’t seem like Minnesota would have enough to offer back for the Knicks to part with the second-year guard.

One guy I could see making sense for the Knicks is Minnesota backup center Greg Stiemsma, who would add some size to the Knicks bench and also adds toughness and defense. Stiemsma is only making $2.575 million this season, which makes a deal possible.

Both teams have the maximum of 15 guaranteed contracts so there isn’t much flexibility on either side. In addition, the Knicks are taxpaying team while the Timberwolves are well below the tax line. That could play a role, but with the Knicks in contention, it is doubtful they are just trying to dump salary and the ‘Wolves likely won’t want to take a lot of money back since they are looking forward to next season.

One interesting note is that the Knicks did have interest in big man Lou Amundson, whom the Wolves just waived.

We will keep you up to date if these talks progress.

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Nov 16, 2012; Memphis, TN, USA; New York Knicks forward Ronnie Brewer during warm ups prior to the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. Memphis defeated New York 105-95. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

When the Knicks signed the 27-year-old, 6’7 Ronnie Brewer to a 1 year 1.4 million contract, they all thought they were getting a steal.  His agent, Henry Thomas characterized him as a

“tremendous wing defender and offensively he simply knows how to play – moving without the ball, slashing to the basket. His outside shooting has improved and will continue to, and he is an excellent passer and underrated ball handler.”

And this is what the Knicks needed — a guy that would be able to replace Landry Fields’ high-flying athleticism and movement without the ball, be able hit the open shot, and be able to guard tough perimeter opponents.

He started off the season in the starting lineup, hitting the open shot, slashing to the basketball and making great decisions, averaging 7.0 points, 46% FG and the 41 3P% in the month of November.  But once his open threes were not falling (15% in January), and he was not playing the scrappy basketball that was expected of him, Brewer’s minutes slowly dwindled – 22 min in November, to 17 min in December, to 8 min in January, to 3 min in February.  He basically went from a starter to a benchwarmer.

November 20, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New York Knicks small forward Ronnie Brewer (11) against the New Orleans Hornets during a game at the New Orleans Arena. The Knicks defeated the Hornets 102-80. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Last year after Rip Hamilton was hurt, Brewer was playing his best basketball on the Bulls averaging around 30 minutes. But then after losing his confidence, he struggled to get even 15 -20 minutes a game and to be part of the rotation.  This type of inconsistency is what prevents Brewer from becoming a solid role player – and what has sent him deep into the Knick bench.

So what should the Knicks do?

I personally think the Knicks should give him another chance – he hasn’t been able to prove that he can get out of this slump because he hasn’t played more than 15 minutes since January 7th.  His drop in minutes is also largely attributed Iman Shumpert coming back from injury and they play similar roles defensively.  But I still think Brewer is needed when Shumpert at 6’5 220 is too small to guard the tougher SF/PF like Lebron James and Kevin Durant.  I much rather have Brewer defend these super stars than Carmelo, who seems to get too caught up in the challenge of defending these guys.

The only problem with Brewer being reinserted into the rotation is there is no room for him.  That would be an 11-man rotation, which is too much for everyone to receive consistent minutes.  We can’t cut down on Shumpert and Jason Kidd’s 20 minutes a game.  We can’t cut down on J.R. Smith’s 30-35 min because his scoring off the bench is vital.  And Steve Novak receiving 15 minutes is exactly right for him to get off 5 to 6 threes a game.

Dec 11, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams (8) shoots over New York Knicks small forward Ronnie Brewer (11) during the third quarter at Barclays Center. Knicks won 100-97. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The solution is Brewer should come in the game for short spurts.  When the Knicks are lacking defensively, Brewer can come into the game for a few possessions.  When they need a defensive stop at the end of the game, Brewer can go in for D and out for O.  Let’s take the end of last night’s game against the Timberwolves – it was a close game, so they had their usual 3 guards in the lineup (Felton, Smith and Kidd).  Although there was plenty of offensive ability, defensively there were matchup issues. Kidd, the 39-year-old guard with a bad back, was forced to guard the younger, stronger, 6’8 240 pound forward, Derrick Williams.

Every team needs a defensive stopper and we are not even sure if Shumpert will return to last year’s defensive ability.  The Knicks can’t have Brewer who has proven in the past that he can contribute to the Knicks team, become a lost cause and totally lose his confidence.  They may need him down the road even if it’s for 5-10 minutes a game.

Woodson recently had to adjust things with Amar’e Stoudemire’s return and Kurt Thomas and Chris Copeland were the guys who lost minutes, as Thomas has received a pair of DNP’s the past two games and Copeland has played only four minutes the past two contests.

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA New York Knicks guard Iman Shumpert (21) brings the ball down the court during the first half against the Charlotte Bobcats. The New York Knicks defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 104-84 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

But whose minutes will be sacrificed upon Shump’s return?

The easy choice is Ronnie Brewer, but keep in mind that Woodson barely plays Brewer 15 minutes per night and Shumpert will get more time than that. Also keep in mind that Raymond Felton could be returning around the same time period.

Brewer will likely be buried on the bench thanks to his struggles at both ends of the floor, but I expect Jason Kidd’s minutes to be cut as well.

With that being said, I don’t like Shumpert in the starting lineup as I would prefer him to come off the bench.

When the Knicks are completely healthy, I think Felton and Kidd should remain the starting backcourt. Things were going very well when both were healthy and Woodson should keep it that way.

But with Kidd’s age, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to start cutting his minutes.

Kidd is playing about 30 minutes per night and getting that number down to around 25 could keep his legs fresher later in the season.

While I prefer Shump at the 2, he could also play the point for small stretches, which means Pablo Prigioni could see a slight drop in minutes as well.

If you take the 15 minutes away from Brewer for now, five away from Kidd and maybe two or three away from Prigioni, then Shumpert would have at least a solid 23 minutes right off the bat.

However it is when he gets those minutes that Woodson must determine.

I like having Kidd on the floor at the end of games, but in close games Shumpert’s perimeter defense is needed.

Woodson could shift Kidd to the point to make room for Shump, but Felton’s ability to penetrate the lane is also needed on the floor late in games.

It will be interesting to see exactly how Woodson handles Shumpert’s return.

But the good news is that he has plenty of options.

You can ever have too much talent. Talent is a good problem to have.

We have been waiting all year for the Knicks to be a completely healthy basketball team and that time is coming very soon.

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It’s clear that Coach Woodson has decided to play Brewer less in an effort to increase scoring and  to help spread the floor. This has resulted in some increases in playing time for Chris Copeland, but mostly an earlier entrance for J.R. Smith. Smith has been great in his last 10 games, averaging over 19 points per game in 33 minutes off the bench.

Iman Shumpert, who has been recovering from a torn ACL he had repaired during the playoffs last season, is getting ready to return in early February. It’s unclear if Shumpert will come off the bench or start. Most of the season Jason Kidd has been starting at the two-guard, but he was not brought in to play heavy minutes. However, now that Raymond Felton is sidelined 4-6 weeks with a fractured right pinky, J-Kidd will be starting at point guard. This moves Ronnie Brewer from the 3 to the 2, which is also Shumpert’s main position.

Woodson may choose to bench Brewer, and bring the equally defensively minded Shumpert into the starting line up. Last season, he averaged 9.5 ppg, 2.8 apg, and 3.2 rpg in 29 minutes. Shumpert was a streaky shooter throughout his first season, and finished with a field goal percentage of just 40%. The reason he made the All-Rookie First-Team was his close to elite level perimeter defense, and that is what the Knicks are hoping he brings when he returns to the lineup.

The Knicks have struggled this season containing the league’s best isolation perimeter players like James Harden and Kobe Bryant. Even a player like Suns’ forward Jared Dudley was able to have a career night from the perimeter. That is where Shumpert and Brewer are needed the most. Marcus Camby’s return has already helped rebounding and defending down low, and that is hoped to get better when Rasheed Wallace returns from his stress reaction in his foot.

If Shumpert didn’t lose much of his tenacity and athleticism from the injury, then his minutes may come from the depleted Ronnie Brewer. Brewer’s defense has remained consistent, but he can’t stay on the floor due to his recent inability to knock down even an open shot. If Brewer can’t get his act together in the next few weeks, then he may just play himself out of the starting line-up.

Nov. 25, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd (5) dribbles the ball against the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 121-100. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

He’s doing exactly that, but in the process has become one of the more productive Knicks players on the roster. The impact of him not being in uniform Monday night against the Brooklyn Nets was felt in a big way and now the Knicks will have to get by without him for at least one more game.

Knicks’ head coach Mike Woodson confirmed Monday during his weekly appearance on ESPN New York 98.7 FM’s “Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Ruocco” show that Kidd is day-to-day with back spasms and did not travel to Milwaukee for Wednesday night’s game.

Kidd has averaged 8.4 points, 3.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game, but has a PER of 21.29, which shows his true value.

His absence was felt most by point guard Raymond Felton, who went 3-of-19 from the floor against the Nets. With Kidd playing next to Felton, it takes a lot of pressure off Felton’s shoulders. It also helps to have the extra ball handler out on the court. While Carmelo Anthony had a great game against the Nets, the ball didn’t move nearly as much as it usually does. The Knicks finished with only 14 assists on the night, including only four in the second half.

If you look at the advanced stats, the Knicks are a much better team with Kidd on the floor, to the point that a case can be made that he should remain the starting shooting guard all season, even when Iman Shumpert returns from injury.

The Knicks have scored 14 more points per 100 possessions with him on the floor. In addition, the Knicks’ true shooting percentage is eight percentage points higher with Kidd on the floor. The Knicks also average five more possessions per 48 minutes when he is playing.

While Kidd’s impact will be felt by him not playing, the news isn’t as bad for Ronnie Brewer, who dislocated his finger in the fourth quarter Monday night.

Brewer did travel with the team and Woodson said he will play against the Bucks with his hand taped.

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November 20, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New York Knicks small forward Ronnie Brewer (11) against the New Orleans Hornets during a game at the New Orleans Arena. The Knicks defeated the Hornets 102-80. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

He had to have knee surgery weeks after signing as a free agent and has been playing through pain in that knee for the past couple of weeks. Now you can add a finger to the list of injuries as Brewer dislocated a finger in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

ESPN’s Ian Begley confirmed via Twitter that the X-Rays came back negative, which is a good sign.

X-Rays negative on Ronnie Brewer, good sign for #Knicks. His finger was wrapped after the game. He told @jaredzwerling that he felt ‘fine’

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) November 27, 2012

With Jason Kidd out of the lineup with back spasms, the Knicks can’t afford to be without Brewer for any length of time.

Brewer and Kidd are both listed as questionable for Wednesday night’s game in Milwaukee.

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Nov 13, 2012; Orlando, FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Ronnie Brewer (11) attempts a layup as Orlando Magic power forward Glen Davis (11) defends during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

Brewer only played 17 minutes against the Magic and made only 1-of-3 shots from the floor, something that his knee probably affected.

Part of the reason the Knicks have got off to such a great start is Brewer’s versatility on the defensive end of the floor, He can guard both 2′s and 3′s and Knicks’ head coach Mike Woodson has used him that way. That versatility could come in handy against a team like the San Antonio Spurs, who the Knicks face Thursday night in San Antonio.

Offensively, the 27 year-old Arkansas native was averaging 10.5 PPG (before last night) for the undefeated Knicks, but his strength is on the defensive end of the floor.

What he does doesn’t show up in the box score, but Brewer simply doesn’t allow his man to score very often. He rotates, gets around screens, closes out, boxes out- Brewer is the prototypical defender and a coach’s dream, especially a defensive one like Woodson.

It’s a concern that Brewer is having knee issues again just five games into the season. Hopefully it is just some minor swelling and something that a day off today will take care of. With the Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies on tap next, Brewer could end up playing a key role in wins and losses.

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I liked the Brewer signing a lot when it happened, but after the start to the season, I am thrilled about it.

Nov 2, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard Ronnie Brewer (11) drives past Miami Heat small forward Mike Miller (13) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 104-84. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

His numbers won’t jump off the page, but they aren’t bad. In 26.7 minutes per game, Brewer has chipped in 9.7 points and 6.7 rebounds, while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 55.6 percent from behind the arc. But Brewer’s biggest impact offensively could be the fact that he has turned the ball over only once in over 78 minutes of action. Throughout his career, Brewer has never been known as a great shooter, so you have to be thrilled with those numbers.

But Brewer’s offensive numbers are all a bonus.

He was brought here to be a lockdown perimeter defender and although it has been only three games, Brewer has exceeded expectations.

He helped hold LeBron James to 23 points and five turnovers, and made Evan Turner basically a non-factor in back-to-back games with 22 total points. He will continue to draw the primary assignment on the opposition’s best wing player, which is good news for Mike Woodson considering Brewer can check both 2′s and 3′s.

The most impressive part about Brewer’s game is his outstanding footwork.

Very rarely will anyone have success getting by the 6’7″ Brewer as he has very quick feet and use that to his advantage defensively. In addition Brewer is a smart player who is rarely caught out of position.

After missing most of training camp with a knee injury, Brewer has fit in just fine with his new teammates.

His outstanding defense fits in well with the likes of reigning Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler, who can now be a little more aggressive with a guy like Brewer defending on the perimeter.

“When I have a guy that can roam and guy that can shut down his guy,” Chandler recently told ESPN’s Jared Zwerling. ”I know most likely he’s not going to be beat as much, and I can concentrate my focus around the rest of the floor. He’s big and strong, and can keep guys out of the paint.”

The impact Brewer makes to this Knicks team makes him one of the more under the radar signings around the league that has the chance to pay off in a big way.

One person who has to be thrilled with Brewer’s contributions is head coach Mike Woodson as Brewer is the type of player who fits into Woodson’s system perfectly.

In addition, Brewer gives Woodson options due to the fact that he can defend multiple positions.

He has helped ease the loss of Iman Shumpert, who will be out until at least January and if Brewer can continue to perform well, Shumpert may not be just handed his job back.

But he allows Woodson to be flexible as he can go small with Shumpert or J.R. Smith at the 2, Brewer at the 3 and Carmelo Anthony at the 4. Or Woodson can go big when Amar’e Stoudemire returns by moving Anthony back to the 3 and playing Brewer at the 2.

Late in games, the Knicks defense on the perimeter should be outstanding with both Brewer and Shumpert on the floor.

The Knicks wanted to get better defensively and they have. A big reason for that is Woodson, but a lot of credit goes to a guy like Brewer as well, who has been very impressive thus far.

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[blackbirdpie url="https://twitter.com/RonnieBrewerJr/statuses/258552676059590656"]

Brewer has yet to practice or participate in team drills or scrimmages this year as he recovers from surgery to repair a torn meniscus. It was announced in early September that Brewer would undergo surgery and would miss approximately six weeks. This week brings him to about the six week mark.

Of course, as Mike Woodson has reiterated with regards to all banged up/out of shape players, they will need time to practice and get in shape before even scrimmaging, let alone playing in games. The Knicks don’t play again until Friday when they begin a series of four games in six nights. It’s possible that we could potentially see Brewer get some playing time in one or both of those latter two games on Monday or Wednesday. (Pure speculation on my part).

Brewer’s presence on the team could be tremendous for the Knicks, though. Iman Shumpert will be out at least until December, and Woodson seems cemented to bringing J.R. Smith off the bench. In the two preseason games so far, Mychel Thompson and James White have started at two-guard and neither made great contributions. Woodson has experimented – and like will continue to – with playing Pablo Prigioni and Jason Kidd together in the back-court, but that is not an ideal line-up in all situations. Brewer’s presence would not only fill a hole at shooting guard and small forward (to a lesser extent), it would give the Knicks an elite wing defender and a capable offensive player around the basket.

May 1, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls shooting guard Ronnie Brewer (11) drives to the basket past Philadelphia 76ers power forward Elton Brand (42) during the first half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

Brewer is down a few spots from a year ago when he ranked No. 154. This year, at 167 he falls in between Milwaukee’s Mike Dunleavy and Memphis’ Darrell Arthur.

He is a six-year pro that has averaged 9.0 points throughout his career, but is known more for being a great perimeter defender, which is why he should be an asset to Mike Woodson’s team in 2013.

Brewer is coming off a year in which he averaged only 6.9 points and shot only 42.7 percent from the floor, way down from his 50.1 career field goal percentage.

He should be the starting shooting guard once he recovers from knee surgery, but don’t count on Brewer knocking down many shots from behind the arc as he is only a career 24.4 percent shooter from long-range.

However what he can do well is defend and that’s what Woodson will lean on him do. Brewer can guard the 2 or the 3, which means he will likely draw the assignment of covering the opposition’s best perimeter player on a nightly basis, and why not? Brewer is a disruptive defender who has long arms and gets his hands on a lot of balls. Paired with Iman Shumpert (when he returns), the Knicks will have a pair of potential shutdown perimeter defenders, which has been a problem in previous seasons.

Whatever the Knicks get from Brewer offensively is a bonus, but he is a very good cutter off ball, especially along baselines and is a good finisher at basket.

But he knows his role and that’s to play defense and that’s something he does very well.

I liked this signing the moment it was announced and Knicks’ fans will like the effort Brewer brings to the court on a nightly basis.

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May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith (8), center Tyson Chandler (6) and Miami Heat center Joel Anthony (50) wait for the rebound during the first half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

But that was then and this is now.

The Knicks have added the defensive minded coach in Mike Woodson, have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Tyson Chandler and in the past year have added a great interior defender in Marcus Camby and great perimeter defenders in Iman Shumpert and Ronnie Brewer. They have also added point guards Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd, who both have been capable defenders in the past.

Its official to say that these aren’t D’Antoni’s Knicks anymore as this current group has the ability to get after opposing teams on the defensive end of the floor. But that begs the question of exactly how good these Knicks can be defensively?

When that question was posed to Brewer by ESPNNewYork’s Ian Begley, he responded with ”I think the sky’s the limit.”

Personally I think there are some truths and some flaws to that statement, but one thing that’s certain is that the Knicks have made huge strides to becoming a good defensive basketball team.

I always say that during the postseason, getting stops is just as important as getting baskets and that’s something the Knicks couldn’t do in the past.

However, with Chandler in the middle in 2012, the Knicks finished fifth in the league defensive efficiency (a measure of points allowed per 100 possessions), up from 21st in 2010-11. Once Woodson took over for D’Antoni, the Knicks really put forth the effort on the defensive end of the floor and allowed only 89.5 points per game the final 24 regular season games. That helped them lower their season total to 94.9 and finish 11th in the league in points allowed.

With the new additions this season, it would be common knowledge that the Knicks would improve even more in a full season under Woodson.

However, Shumpert, one of the NBA’s best young perimeter defenders is out likely until January, which will limit the Knicks a little on the defensive end, but if the Knicks are to really become a good defensive team, it is on the shoulders of Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony to commit on the defensive end for an entire season, which is where the Knicks may be flawed.

Both are superstars, but are viewed as weak links defensively, mostly due to their lack of effort at that end of the floor. However Brewer feels that they will catch on and be just fine.

“With Coach Woodson being a defensive-mentality coach (and) when you see guys like Tyson, myself and Shump giving that extra effort, to me it’s contagious,” Brewer said.

“It’s human nature for a player to jump on the floor if they see their teammates doing it. … If you see somebody going hard to the boards and giving it their all, you feel like it’s your duty. You’ve got to do that.”

That seems likely from both guys as both Stoudemire and Anthony are committed to winning a championship in the Big Apple, but they both still remain question marks at the defensive end.

The effort has to be there from the two superstars. when things go bad, the first thing that usually goes is the effort on the defensive end.

One good thing this year is Woodson’s ability to put a defensive team on the floor late in the game that could feature Shumpert, Brewer, Camby and Chandler. But it’s hard to see Anthony not being on the floor late in games, which means he needs to up the effort defensively for 82 games.

I’m actually not over concerned with it as ‘Melo knows what’s at stake, but it’s also something we’ve never seen out of STAT or ‘Melo for an entire season. If they can do that, well this team can be a very good defensive unit.

Exactly how good?

Well that’s entirely up to Stoudemire and Anthony to show us.

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April 26, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls shooting guard Ronnie Brewer (11) shoots the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

But Brewer did offer up a bit of good news, telling ESPN’s Ian Begley that he will be ready when the Knicks open up the Barclays Center November 1 against the Brooklyn Nets.

Brewer is still unsure about how he injured his knee, but did say he experienced swelling in his knee after recent workouts.

Just four days after surgery, though, Brewer insists that his knee is in good shape.

“If you were to ask me if I had surgery a couple days ago, I would have told you no. My knee’s feeling great. The swelling’s going down and rehab is going really well,” Brewer told ESPN New York.

The 6-7 wing was signed to give New York a strong defensive presence on the perimeter, something the team was missing with Shumpert (ACL) sidelined until at least December. Brewer can defend both the 2 and the 3 and was ticketed to start in the backcourt along another new, but old face in Raymond Felton. He’s expected to be out for a maximum of six weeks. That would leave him two weeks to prepare and get in shape before the season opener.

With all of the new faces on this team, this training camp will be vital and Brewer is a guy that could benefit from it to build chemistry.

If the former first-round pick does not return in time for the season-opener, J.R. Smith will likely start at shooting guard, while Chris Smith, James White, and others are expected to battle for a reserve guard/forward spot during training camp.

However Brewer expects to come back strong and has high hopes for this team.

“I wanted to come back at 110 percent,” he said. “I feel like we have a great team and we have great potential and I want to be healthy for the long run that we’re going to have.”

Hopefully that’s the case because Brewer will have a bigger role on this team than most people think.

Naturally he can play the 2, but because he can check most of the 3′s in the league, Carmelo Anthony will be allowed to move down to the 4 more often, a position where he had his best success last season.

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April 26, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls shooting guard Ronnie Brewer (11) shoots the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

The New York Knicks found out first hand last season the impact injuries can have on a team.

As the Knicks are only weeks away from beginning training camp, they would hope to get through the season without having to deal with any major injuries, other than Iman Shumpert, who’s already on the shelf because of a knee injury suffered in last season’s playoffs.

However the Knicks got a dose of bad news on Friday when Howard Beck reported that newly signed shooting guard Ronnie Brewer will be out six weeks because of knee surgery. Beck also reported via Twitter that Brewer’s injury happened within the past two weeks.

Knicks G Ronnie Brewer will be out 6 weeks after surgery for meniscus tear in left knee. Injury happened w/in last 2 weeks.

— Howard Beck (@HowardBeckNYT) September 7, 2012

That’s certainly news that Knicks fans don’t want to hear, as that currently leaves the Knicks with only J.R. Smith as a healthy 2-guard.

Brewer’s expected rehab schedule won’t cost him any regular season action as the Knicks don’t open up until November 1, but it could cost him some valuable time in camp. With so many new bodies in the fold, this upcoming training camp is a very important one to build chemistry, especially with Mike Woodson entering his first full season as the Knicks head coach.

There was no immediate details on how Brewer hurt his knee, but it’s not good news for a team that lost Shumpert, Baron Davis and Jeremy Lin a season ago to knee injuries.

The Knicks open preseason play at the Washington Wizards on Oct. 11. Their regular season opener is slated for Nov. 1 at the Brooklyn Nets. Brewer’s reported timeline would therefore have him back in action during the preseason and with more than a week to spare before the opener.

Brewer, 27, has missed just one game combined over the last two NBA seasons, but this leaves the Knicks in an early bind as Brewer was slated to start at the 2 while Shumpert recovers.

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April 26, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls shooting guard Ronnie Brewer (11) shoots the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

As soon as it was announced that the Chicago Bulls would be letting Brewer walk, he’s the one guy I had my eye on and Grunwald had the same idea.

But what exactly does Brewer bring to the Knicks and what role will he play during the 2012-13 campaign?

First of all, Brewer is a versatile player, who at 6’7″ can play either the 2 or 3 and has both started and come off the bench, so he will be fine in any role head coach Mike Woodson elects to use him in.

Initially, Brewer likely will be the starter at the 2, at least until Iman Shumpert returns from his knee injury suffered in the playoffs.

Starting Brewer accomplishes multiple things, but most importantly it allows Woodson to bring J.R. Smith’s scoring off the bench, a role he performed very well in during the 2012 regular season.

Brewer isn’t your prototypical shooting guard who will sit behind the arc and knock down a barrage of three’s, but instead is an outstanding on-ball defender who Woodson will love. Brewer played under another defensive guru in Tom Thibodeau in Chicago the past two years, so Woodson should use him similar.

The real value Brewer will bring is once Shumpert returns to the lineup.

His length and tenacity on the defensive end allows him to guard both 2′s and 3′s. He will draw the task of locking down the opposition’s best wing scorer and in a division that now has Joe Johnson, Andre Iguodala and Paul Pierce, the addition of Brewer could prove to be huge. In addition, with his ability to guard 3′s, Brewer allows Carmelo Anthony to possibly slide down to the 4 more often, where he had his greatest success last season.

With the firepower on the Knicks, Woodson doesn’t need him to score and he’s not a great shooter to begin with. But Brewer has the athleticism to fill the lane and finish on the fast break and relies on timely cuts to the basket in half-court sets for easy baskets and to keep defenses honest. That kind of sounds like the man he’s replacing in Landry Fields.

But the possibility of being able to play Shumpert and Brewer together with Camby and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler behind them in close games when the Knicks need a stop will be something Woodson didn’t have the luxury of turning to a season ago.

Knicks fans should love the way Brewer plays the game. He’s just a hard-nosed player who will do the little things needed to win games.

When it’s all said and done, it very well could be Brewer who proves to be the Knicks best acquisition during this offseason.

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April 26, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls shooting guard Ronnie Brewer (11) shoots the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

The New York Knicks have been in the market for another shooting guard with only J.R. Smith and the injured Iman Shumpert on the current roster to begin the 2012-13 season.

It looks like they may have found their man in former Chicago Bulls guard Ronnie Brewer.

TNT’s David Aldridge (via Twitter) reported, the former Bull will sign with New York on a one-year deal, which figures to be for the minimum salary.

Knicks continue to build backcourt, agreeing 2 terms with ex-Bull Ronnie Brewer on one-year deal, per source. Check the Hang Time Bkog soon.

— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 24, 2012

Brewer was released by the Bulls earlier this month, and was set to earn $4.37 million, so he’ll take a significant pay cut in joining the Knicks. Having spent their mid-level exception and with no means to sign-and-trade for Brewer, the Knicks can only offer the veteran’s minimum for a player with Brewer’s experience, which will be $1,069,509.

Brewer represents a solid addition to a backcourt that is heavy on point guards, but thin on 2-guards.

Shumpert is out until at least January, so Brewer will likely split time with  Smith at shooting guard until Shump is healthy enough to return. He also could see a little bit of time at the three as well.

Brewer is 6’7” with long arms, giving him excellent size for the shooting guard position. He is a terrific defender and will fill the defensive void created by the loss of both Shumpert and Landry Fields.

He averaged 6.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 24.8 minutes per game this past season, but is regarded as a very unselfish and team oriented player. Those qualities, along with his defensive abilities should fit in very well on a Mike Woodson coached team.

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The positive thing though is that the Knicks are an interesting option for free agents. For one, the Knicks are contenders on paper, and two, there’s immediate playing time available with Iman Shumpert on the shelf for at least the season’s first two months.

Before I get into available options, let’s look at how the Knicks roster shapes up right now:

C- Tyson Chandler, Marcus Camby

PF- Amar’e Stoudemire, Kurt Thomas, Chris Copeland

SF- Carmelo Anthony, Steve Novak, James White

SG- J.R. Smith, Shumpert (out until January)

PG- Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, Pablo Prigioni

There’s a definite hole at the shooting guard spot that needs addressed before the season begins and here’s a look at who could be on the Knicks radar.

Apr 07, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jodie Meeks (20) passes the ball during the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at the Wells Fargo Center. The Magic defeated the Sixers 88-82. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Jodie Meeks: Meeks is on the Knicks radar and is a guy who can knock down more than his share of shots from the perimeter. He shot 39.7 percent from behind the arc in 2011, before seeing that number dip to 36.5 percent in 2012.

Marco Belinelli: I like Belinelli, who averaged 11.8 points per game in 2012, but he also offers up very little on the defensive end of the floor.

Ronnie Brewer: I like the prospects of potentially adding Brewer, who is also on the Knicks radar. He’s a guy who will accept his role and will commit to playing defense, although he’s not a great shooter, knocking down only 27.5 percent of his three-point attempts in 2012.

Maurice Evans: The nine-year pro out of Texas can play the 2 or the 3, although he’s only 6’5″. He is a veteran who would also accept his role and has made 36.3 percent of his career attempts from behind the arc.

Carlos Delfino: He would be a great fit on this Knicks team, but can likely get a better financial offer from another team. He can play the 2 or the 3, is a solid defender and can knock down open shots.

Sonny Weems: Weems is on the Knicks radar but an option I don’t like. He has the size and athleticism to be a solid defender but just floats on defense and is focused on scoring. However he’s a lousy shooter, knocking down only 24.1 percent of his perimeter shots in his three-year career.

It doesn't matter if you hate Chicago's Derrick Rose. As a Knicks' fan you should root for him to expose Cleveland's Mo Williams so that a certain King will get frustrated and wanna leave the Cavs. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

It’s Fan Appreciation 101 to root for your team to win, but as anyone who’s taken higher classes in Team Supportation knows, that’s just the tip o’ the iceberg.  Sometimes you gotta see the larger picture, which may require you to hope your team actually loses for say a better draft position.  The Indiana Pacers finished the season playing some of their best ball, but that annoyed many true-blooded Indy fans since it destroyed their lottery chances.  Other times, you may root for your team to lose so that the owner finally wises up and sees it has to fire that crappy coach or GM (or both — hello Isiah Thomas and Mike Dunleavy Sr.).

Frequently, as a member of the faithful, you may even have to root for outcomes in games featuring other teams.  Say you’re battling for the 8th seed in the playoffs, then you gotta watch the games involving the other teams in the battle so you can root against them.  Or maybe you’re assured of being in the playoffs, but you know you match up against one team better than another.  Now you gotta cheer for the right teams to win and the wrong ones to lose all so that everything falls perfectly for your one true team.

However, with the Knicks’ eliminated from the playoffs long-ago, what’s a Knick fan to root for?  Things that will help us out in free agency.  I spent the last month of the regular season caring less about the Knicks’ wins/loss total than about the outcome of the Raptors/Bulls’ battle for the final playoff spot.  I figured that if the Raptors don’t make the playoffs, then surely Chris Bosh’s chances of remaining in Toronto drop rapidly.  Does this mean he’s a sure-fire Knick, or even that he’s my top choice?  No, but I like to improve my odds as much as possible.  Had the Pacers finished with the fifth worst record instead of the tenth, they still might not have won the lottery, but it wouldn’t have hurt.

Thus, for a true Knick fan, here are the things for which we should be rooting in order to increase our chances during the free agency period:

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