The Knicks still appear to be searching for the right mix as they continue filling out the preseason roster, and a few familiar veteran names are now in the picture.
After agreeing to contracts with John Konchar and Drew Eubanks on Tuesday, New York has also been in contact with Gabe Vincent, Duop Reath and James Wiseman, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Begley reports that the Knicks are working out Vincent, a sign the team is seriously weighing him as it sorts through options for the 21-man preseason roster.
There are still openings beyond that. The Knicks have three two-way contract spots available, and those slots are expected to be filled in the coming weeks.
One of them looks likely to go to second-round pick Tyler Nickel. Begley also reports that Kevin McCullar Jr. remains in the mix after taking part in informal workouts with some Knicks players in recent weeks.
McCullar has held one of those two-way spots in each of the past two seasons.
Elsewhere around New York, Jalen Brunson and his family have launched Thirty Third Management Group, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. The brand advisory firm will be led by his mother Sandra and his sister Erica, and it will handle Brunson’s off-court business while also looking to expand by working with more athletes. The company’s early focus will be women’s professional sports, and its name comes from Brunson being selected 33rd overall in the 2018 draft.
On the Brooklyn side, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes that Julius Randle should make the Nets more competitive in the short term. Lewis says the three-time All-Star raises Brooklyn’s floor, even if he does not seem likely to be part of the roster for the long haul. He also notes that sharing primary scoring duties with Randle could help Michael Porter Jr. become more efficient after his shooting percentages fell while his usage rate climbed last season.
ESPN’s Zach Kram gave the Nets a B-minus for their offseason work, praising the return of Day’Ron Sharpe on a team-friendly two-year deal. At the same time, Kram argued Brooklyn did not use its cap room to do much for its long-term outlook. He pointed to the 2026/27 season as an important one for 2025 first-round picks Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf, who will need to make progress to cement their place in Brooklyn’s future.
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Joe Tsai has already acknowledged where the local balance of power stands, but the bigger point for the Nets is that they are steering their own course instead of reacting to the noise next door. For a franchise in the middle of a rebuild, the real challenge is not just improving the record, but proving the organization can make the right calls while the bar across town keeps getting higher. [Read more 🡒]