Lou Amundson and Kenyon Martin are two of the prime candidates to come in and backup Amare Stoudemire for the Knicks.

Knicks only remaining need this off-season is a backup forward to log minutes behind Amare Stoudemire.

Sharp-shooting Steve Novak has the capability to play the small forward or the power forward positions, but lacks the rebounding and defensive skills to be effective as a power forward.  Novak’s best position will be spotting up for 3′s while Carmelo Anthony takes a breather.

The power forward for the second unit right now is nearly 40-year-old Kurt Thomas.  Thomas played in 53 games last season averaging 3 points and 3 rebounds per game.  While I believe that Thomas can log a few quality minutes here and there, it would be wise for New York to bring in another big to play on the second unit ahead of the aging veteran.

This is a crucial move for the Knicks and I feel they will be a much more complete team by adding a forward.  There are several guys out there that fit the bill for what the Knicks are looking for and would come at a cheap price:

Lou Amundson – Gritty big man who loves physicality which often leads to other players trying to fight him.  Lou will out work the competition and has never been reported to be anything but a team guy.  Averaged 3 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes and can provide the Knicks with exactly what they need for a backup power forward; toughness.

Kenyon Martin – A former teammate of Carmelo Anthony in Denver, Martin looks like the best option for the Knicks.  He plays like an uncaged pitbull and showed how tough he was in defending Zach Randolph in the first round of the playoffs for the Clippers last season.  Martin has the ability to consistently nail the mid-range jumper, brings toughness and hustle and would be a great addition to the Knicks bench.

Ivan Johnson – Hard working big man who played for the Hawks last season averaging 6 points and 4 reb.  He does all the hustle work and shots over 70% from the free throw line and 52% from the field on the season.  Knicks only need a player who is able-bodied and willing to play 15 minutes per game and Johnson is exactly that at 27 years old 6-8 255.

Andray Blatche – This is a player who is just one season removed from averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds per game for the Wizards.  Attitude and work ethic concerns are the reason why the 26-year-old seasoned pro is still a free agent.  He claims that he will even play in the D-League next season and is desperate to find an NBA team.  This would be a risky move considering the Knicks lockerroom and team chemistry proved to be fragile last season, but he’s also big and talented.

Chris Andersen – Fresh off being amnestied by the Nuggets after being accused of some form of child porn issue by what he claims to be a crazy woman who is mad at the lack of interest or money she got from him.  At the end of the day he was never charged with anything so I am going to assume he’s innocent.  On the court he’s a big athletic body still at 34 years old that can rebound and block shots in limited minutes which is what the Knicks need.

Tracy McGrady – Obviously nowhere near the superstar that he once was, but still able to play some valuable minutes off the bench.  Averaged just 5 points per game in 16 minutes last season, but could be a good fit for the Knicks bench.  He’s not a big guy, but the Steve Novak is capable of playing the power forward position and McGrady could backup Carmelo Anthony.