The New York Knicks have a pulse. Fans were beginning to worry if they’d land any of this year’s free agents. The Knicks and Arron Afflalo agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract with a player option for the second year. In this year’s free agent market, that is a fantastic deal, and a fair one.

Knicks president Phil Jackson has missed out on a handful of free agents who inked new deals on the first day of free agency and some who have narrowed down their options. Knicks targets DeMarre Carroll and Danny Green each signed new deals. Other Knicks targets Paul Millsap and LaMarcus Aldridge have narrowed their searches to two or three teams, not including the Knicks.

The push for Greg Monroe ensues, but it’s not as much of a sure thing as it previously seemed. The San Antonio Spurs have interest in Monroe as well, and if they don’t win the Aldridge sweepstakes, they could be making a big push for Monroe. The Spurs, quite frankly, have more to offer than the Knicks. However, the Knicks signing Afflalo at just $8 million for next season allows them to offer Monroe up to $20 million for next season.

The Knicks’ addition of Afflalo is a good one. He’s one of the best three-point shooters in the league, connecting on 38 percent of his tries throughout his eight-year career. He’s a useful perimeter defender at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds. The 29-year-old played alongside Carmelo Anthony  for the Denver Nuggets, so there is familiarity between the two.

Per @bball_ref, here is the complete list of the 18 players that averaged 18/3/3 in 2013-14: pic.twitter.com/Sm5Mc71NHT

— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) July 2, 2015

Afflalo is not far removed from being among the top players in the league. If he can be efficient and productive for the Knicks, assuming they acquire another player or two for their rotation, Afflalo could absolutely rejuvenate his career and cash in on a bigger deal after this one. The Knicks are providing him that opportunity, and he’s providing them with his services at a pretty low price. It’s a great deal both ways.

Patrick Piascik is an NBA Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter at @patrickpiascik.