The Memphis Grizzlies’ roster squeeze could hand the Knicks an easy swing at a player who fits a clear need.
Micah Peavy is one of four names Memphis may have to cut to get down to 15 players, according to Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line. The 25-year-old combo wing landed with the Grizzlies as part of the New Orleans Pelicans’ latest salary dump, and with training camps not even open yet, he’s already in the middle of a numbers game that could send him elsewhere.
On paper, Peavy’s first NBA season doesn’t jump out. He averaged 4.3 points and shot under 26 percent from three. That’s the kind of offensive line that makes teams hesitate.
But New Orleans played him for a reason, and it wasn’t because of the scoring. His defense stood out enough to keep him on the floor, and that’s exactly why he should be on the Knicks’ radar as they sort out the rest of their roster.
At 6’7”, Peavy has the kind of size and mobility that lets him handle multiple jobs. Last season, he spent time on Jamal Murray, Jaylen Brown, Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic, Deni Avdija, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Johnson, Desmond Bane, and Naz Reid, all of whom were among his 12 highest-volume assignments. That’s a serious list, even before you get to the broader defensive profile.
The Pelicans’ defense was rough for most of 2025-26, but Peavy still emerged as one of the few positives. He filled in for Herb Jones and showed a blend of strength, hip flexion, and lateral quickness that made him useful on the perimeter. He can get too foul-prone, but he also has a real feel for jumping passing lanes.
The workload matters here. According to BBall Index, 31 players ranked in the 85th percentile or better in matchup difficulty, ball-screen navigation, and perimeter isolation defense. Peavy, VJ Edgecombe, and Sion James were the only rookies on that list.
New York’s roster situation makes the fit pretty obvious. Right now, the Knicks only have room under the second apron to add one minimum contract. Unless they clear salary, they’ll need to wait until after the season starts to bring in a 15th player.
Most people expect the last offseason signing to be a big man. But SNY’s Ian Begley reported that the team is comfortable moving forward with just Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond. The earlier interest in Ben Simmons also points to a front office that doesn’t seem locked into adding a third center.
That matters because it could push New York toward more small looks, with OG Anunoby, Mohamed Diawara, or even Josh Hart serving as the nominal 5. If the Knicks want to keep that option alive, they need another wing.
Diawara is the only bench player taller than 6’5” who looks like an NBA-caliber piece. Peavy would give them a second.
The Knicks may still prefer a big. Leon Rose and the front office may also have concerns about Peavy’s offense.
Neither issue would necessarily stop them from making a move, though. New York could bring him in on a training camp make-good deal, the way it did with Landry Shamet.
If he doesn’t earn a full roster spot, he would still be eligible for a two-way contract.
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