The Knicks are coming off yet another season without a playoff appearance, going 32-50 and finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference. Nine-time all-star Carmelo Anthony and Rookie of the Year runner-up Kristaps Porzingis led the way, but the duo missed a combined 20 games due to injury. Derek Fisher was fired midway through his second season as head coach, and Kurt Rambis helped the team limp to the finish line. Yet, guard play may have been the biggest reason for New York’s struggles.

Both of the Knicks guard positions graded out to be some of the worst in the league last year. 34-year-old Jose Calderon started 72 games at point guard, while sophomore Langston Galloway and rookie Jerian Grant took the remaining games, most of which came as the season was near its end. Aaron Afflalo started 57 games at two guard, but lost his starting job to Sasha Vujacic late in the season. None of those players averaged more than 4.2 assists per game and combined for just one double-double the entire year.

There is a clear lack of talent in New York’s backcourt, but the team’s style of play certainly played a big factor in the lack of production. The Knicks played with the sixth-slowest pace in the league and scored the fewest fast break points per game in the league last year, but that will likely change with newly hired head coach Jeff Hornacek at the helm.

Hornacek will reportedly keep some of the triangle offense in tact while focusing on incorporating some of the pick-and-roll heavy actions he ran during his tenure in Phoenix, but that will be difficult to execute as the roster currently stands. New York should have at least $20 million in cap space this summer, and Phil Jackson would be wise to make multiple signings to improve the roster. Luckily for him, there are plenty of potential candidates to choose from.

Mike Conley is unanimously regarded as the top point guard option of the 2016 free agent class. The nine-year veteran has spent his entire career in Memphis, averaging a solid 13.6 points and 5.6 assists per game as a pro. The star power of the Western Conference has kept him without an All-Star appearance, but he’d likely have multiple under his belt if he played in the East. He’s widely regarded as one of the most underrated players in the game, both for his defensive prowess and floor general abilities. He led the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio last year, a category in which the Knicks finished just 15th in as a team last season. His ability to run the pick-and-roll efficiently would open up the floor for Anthony and Porzingis to flourish and give opposing defenses many more things to worry about.

If the Knicks decide to go all-in to bring Conley to the Big Apple, they’ll have a lot of competition. The Spurs are reportedly interested in bringing him in, and new Grizzlies coach David Fizdale is already following Conley everywhere he goes to keep him in Memphis. He’ll likely cost near max money over four years, and it’s still in question whether Jackson would be willing to pay an aging veteran that much cash with Carmelo and Robin Lopez already taking up so much cap space. If negotiations fall through, New York won’t hesitate to move on to other options.

Major money could be saved by either bringing in Rajon Rondo or reuniting Knicks fans with Jeremy Lin. Rondo bounced back from a disastrous stint in Dallas with a stellar year in Sacramento, leading the NBA with 11.7 assists per game. On the other hand, Lin was just as impressive in a combo-guard bench role on a surprisingly good Charlotte squad, posting nine games with 20 or more points. Both Rondo and Lin drive to the basket at a high rate, finishing ninth and 35th in drives per game last year, respectively. Their ability to drive and kick would help the Knicks get back to the heavy three-point shooting offense that propelled them to their most recent playoff berth in 2012-13. Hornacek could even pair one of them with Calderon for extended stretches, allowing more lineup flexibility and opening up an opportunity to play Anthony at power forward and Porzingis at center.

Lower-tier options like Ty Lawson, DJ Augustin and Mario Chalmers are also in play for New York, and all would likely be upgrades compared to the crop of guards the team had last year. No matter who they decide to bring in, even league-average performance from the point guard position would undoubtedly make the Knicks a threat to snag one of the final playoff spots in the East next season. So Phil, do you plan on spending any of that money?