The Knicks have been busy shaping the back end of their roster, and two of the newest names to know are Igor Milicic Jr. and Liam Robbins. Both came in on Exhibit 10 contracts, both bring different tools to the table, and both are fighting uphill for anything more than a camp look.
New York had been linked to a handful of free agents while sorting out the 14th spot, but the club ultimately added veteran wing John Konchar. That leaves the Knicks looking like a team that will head into training camp with 14 players in place, with one last opening still hanging out there. The competition for that final job is going to be real.
Milicic Jr. is the more versatile of the two on paper. The former Tennessee guard/forward stands 6’10” and spent four years in college before making the jump.
The 24-year-old already had a brief run on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Philadelphia 76ers last year, only to be waived soon after. That move still mattered, though, because it opened the door for him to land with the Delaware Blue Coats for the 2025-26 season.
His college numbers showed some promise. As a senior at Tennessee, Milicic Jr. put up 9.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game, but his 31.4% shooting from three was hard to ignore.
The same pattern followed him into the pros. In the G League, he averaged 6.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while shooting 40.9% from the field and 28.2% from deep.
His Summer League stint with the Spurs was quieter still: 4.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 0.6 steals per game on 30.3% shooting overall and 20.0% from three.
The shot has not been there, but the appeal is obvious enough. He gives effort, covers ground on the wing, and brings defensive energy that can still matter.
Robbins comes at the problem from the other side of the floor. The 27-year-old center spent five college seasons at Drake, Minnesota, and Vanderbilt before going undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft. That sent him to the New Orleans Pelicans on an Exhibit 10 deal, and the same outcome followed with the Milwaukee Bucks the next year: signed, then waived.
His G League work has been steadier. In 2024-25 with the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s affiliate, Robbins averaged 10.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.
He then spent last season with the Rip City Remix and posted 8.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. That was enough to earn him a spot on the Knicks’ Summer League roster, where he turned in 9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game across five appearances.
At 7’0”, Robbins looks like the kind of big man who can hold his own with structure behind him. The offense is limited, but the defensive reputation is real, and his multiple All-Defensive selections in college back that up.
As for whether either one has a real shot at the Knicks’ 15th roster spot, the answer is probably no. Not right now. Robbins and Milicic Jr. both have traits worth watching, but New York may not feel compelled to give either a standard contract with Drew Eubanks and others in the mix.
That doesn’t close the door completely. The Knicks still have all three two-way slots open, and either player could make sense there. A two-way deal would let New York keep developing them in the G League while giving the team a chance to test them during the regular season.
For now, the Knicks’ roster still looks strong overall, with a good mix of top-end talent and useful role players. Even so, the backup center issue remains in the background, and there’s a chance the club saves that final roster spot for a big man later in the season.
In Other News...
Knicks Just Set Up A Sneaky Camp Battle For One Roster Spot
The Knicks kept their late-summer roster churn moving by adding center Drew Eubanks on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract and big man Liam Robbins on an Exhibit 10 deal. Eubanks gives New York another experienced frontcourt body heading into camp, while Robbins gets a longer look after landing in an arrangement that can funnel players toward the Westchester Knicks if they spend time with the G League club.
New York also signed six more players - Jaden Akins, Nick Jourdain, Mitch Mascari, Toby Okani, Igor Milicic and Paul Zilinskas - to Exhibit 10 contracts before waiving them, a common setup that keeps the pipeline active around camp and Westchester. The bigger intrigue now is how the Knicks sort out the final end-of-roster competition and which of the newcomers can turn a temporary invitation into something more lasting once practices and preseason games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A Quietly Important Depth Decision Behind Towns And Drummond
With 13 roster spots already spoken for, the Knicks are still sorting through how to round out the back end of the roster, and the search has leaned toward defense and experience. Among the names they have looked at are veteran free agents Drew Eubanks and John Konchar, a sign that New York is trying to keep the final pieces of the group functional rather than flashy as it builds around its core.
Eubanks is the more interesting fit because of the position he can play in the shadow of Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond. The Knicks could use a dependable third center who can absorb regular-season minutes without forcing a bigger structural change, and Eubanks has been part of that conversation as he works his way back from thumb surgery. For a team trying to preserve its frontcourt depth over a long season, the last open spot may matter more than it usually does. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face One Big Hurdle In Veteran Wing Pursuit
John Konchars market is starting to take shape after Minnesota waived him following the trade from Utah, and the veteran wing is suddenly looking like one of the more interesting free-agent names still out there. Miami, Orlando, Toronto and the Knicks have all been linked to him, which makes sense for teams still hunting for reliable wing depth without overcommitting resources this late in the offseason.
For New York, the appeal is obvious, but so is the challenge. The Knicks have been combing the market for ways to add another capable perimeter piece, yet their roster and financial wiggle room are tight enough that any move has to be carefully measured. That leaves Konchar in an awkward spot for the moment: a useful fit for a contender, but one whose next landing place may come down to which interested team can create the cleanest path. [Read more 🡒]