The Knicks have spent the summer moving the way Leon Rose’s front office usually does: slowly, deliberately, and without feeling any pressure to rush into a deal. More than two months into free agency, New York still has not filled its need for a third-string center or used any of its three available two-way spots, and that waiting game appears to be tied together.
That connection matters for Tyler Nickel. The Knicks made the required tender to their other second-round pick, but the Vanderbilt product remains unsigned through Labor Day weekend. Rookie guard Jack Kayil, meanwhile, agreed to a new contract overseas, turning him into a draft-and-stash pick.
The most likely reason Nickel is still in limbo is the center spot. New York is expected to sort out its third-string center situation through a training camp competition, with veteran names like Drew Eubanks already surfacing as opening night draws closer. What happens in that battle could decide whether Nickel gets a standard deal or has to look at a different path.
If the Knicks sign a third center, they won’t have room for Nickel on the regular roster. In that case, one of their league-leading three open two-way slots could be the landing spot for the sharpshooting rookie. If they choose not to add that center, Nickel could wind up with some kind of standard contract instead.
For now, the delay makes sense for everyone involved. Nickel was previously thought to be waiting on the ruling that would have opened the door for him to return to the NCAA, but that decision arrived in early August. He got the clearance to play college basketball again, though the rookie was reportedly more interested in getting his NBA career started with the Knicks.
New York already addressed its center depth by signing Andre Drummond after losing Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti at the position. Even so, the team still hasn’t added a third-string option, which points back to camp as the place where the final roster spot may be decided.
If someone comes in and wins Mike Brown over enough to claim a real roster place, the Knicks will probably make room. That’s why they’ve held that spot for nearly 10 weeks. If nobody seizes it, the Knicks will have more decisions ahead.
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Stefan Bondy reported that the Knicks are unlikely to extend McBride, along with Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart, before the season begins, which leaves McBride in a more fluid spot than a dependable bench piece usually prefers. New York is still weighing whether to treat him as part of the long-term core or keep him in play as a possible trade asset once the season gets rolling, a choice that could come into focus faster than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Just Got A Lot More Pressure On Karl-Anthony Towns
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Karl-Anthony Towns now sits at the center of that math in New York. The Knicks may end up negotiating with a player who has plenty of leverage and a future payday in mind, even as the team tries to preserve room for other key pieces, and the cap squeeze around Towns is only getting harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Former Knicks Champion Could Extend A Rare Streak In Philadelphia
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Jones arrives after back-to-back championships, first with Oklahoma City in 2025 and then with New York the following year, a rare kind of rsum for a player still looking to carve out his next opportunity. The question now is whether that momentum carries into Philly and whether his new situation can turn a brief stop into something that keeps the streak alive. [Read more 🡒]