The Knicks’ roster squeeze just got a little tighter, and a little more interesting.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Bruce Brown has signed a contract with the defending champions, giving New York another veteran name in the mix as training camp approaches. Brown joins a crowded competition for the Knicks’ final roster spots, with John Konchar and Drew Eubanks also in the picture.
Charania also reported that Konchar agreed to a one-year deal with the Knicks, while Eubanks signed on a training camp deal. New York has already added Ochai Agbaji and James Wiseman on Exhibit 9 contracts, and the team has been busy building out its development pipeline as well.
Among the Exhibit 10 signings were Igor Milicic Jr., Jaden Akins, Nick Jourdain, Mitch Mascari, Toby Okani and Paul Zilinskas, moves that also help secure G League rights. Those Exhibit 10 deals can be converted to two-way contracts before the season.
The numbers have shifted quickly with all the movement, but one recent breakdown had the Knicks at 14 standard contracts after the Konchar addition. That would leave one standard roster spot and three two-way openings still available.
Brown brings the kind of résumé that makes him stand out in a camp full of hopefuls. The 30-year-old has carved out a reputation as a versatile role player who can contribute in multiple ways without demanding a heavy offensive load. At 6-foot-4, he can handle the ball, defend different spots and bring a physical edge that fits on a contender.
He also has championship experience. Brown was part of the Denver Nuggets’ 2023 title run before departing in free agency.
The Knicks also have a frontcourt decision to weigh after losing Mitchell Robinson in the offseason and adding Andre Drummond. That makes Eubanks a possible insurance option at center. The eight-year veteran averaged 5.2 points and 3.0 rebounds for the Kings last season before undergoing surgery on his left thumb.
Brown offers a different kind of value. Instead of another traditional big, New York could use its remaining flexibility on a battle-tested wing who can add depth behind Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Konchar gives them yet another route. The veteran wing averaged 4.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists last season and is entering his eighth NBA campaign.
Nothing is settled yet, and Brown is not guaranteed a spot just because he signed a training camp deal. But with limited room and several veterans chasing the same prize, every preseason rep is going to matter.
In Other News...
Knicks Still Have One Roster Decision Nets Fans Will Notice
The Knicks have quietly kept their offseason roster churn moving even after the headline moves settled in, reaching contract agreements with John Konchar and Drew Eubanks as they sort through the last few spots on a 21-man preseason group. There is also some broader organizational news around Jalen Brunson, whose family has launched Thirty Third Management Group, a brand advisory firm that will start by focusing on women's professional sports, but the basketball side still has a few decisions to make before camp fully takes shape.
One of those choices is the kind of detail rivals and fans alike will watch closely, because it affects both the preseason competition and the clubs two-way structure. The Knicks have three open two-way slots, with second-round pick Tyler Nickel expected to take one, and Kevin McCullar Jr. still in the mix to return, while the team continues to weigh veteran depth options behind the main roster and the growing list of names tied to those final openings. [Read more 🡒]
James Wiseman Gets A Real Chance To Answer One Knicks Need
The Knicks are taking a low-risk look at James Wiseman as they sort through a backup center situation that still feels unfinished. New York signed the former No. 2 overall pick to a training camp invite, giving him a path to show he can help behind the starters after injuries and uneven playing time have slowed what once looked like a far more promising career.
Wiseman still has the age and athletic tools that keep him on the radar, and the Knicks do not appear eager to add more bodies at center before camp gets underway. That leaves him in a real battle to make the case that he can provide size, rim protection and enough reliability to matter, with the opening there for someone to seize if he can finally turn his raw ability into something the Knicks can trust. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Just Created A New Camp Battle Around Jalen Brunson
Training camp is about to get a little more interesting for the Knicks, who have added another guard to the mix in Ochai Agbaji. The former first-round pick has already bounced from Cleveland to Utah, Toronto and Brooklyn, and now arrives in New York with a chance to show he still belongs in an NBA rotation after averaging 10.4 points and 3.8 rebounds last season.
For a team built around Jalen Brunson and a backcourt that already has a clear hierarchy, any late-summer addition has to carve out a role the hard way. Agbaji brings a resume that suggests there is still something to prove, and the early days of camp will reveal whether New York views him as just a body for competition or a player who can push his way into the picture. [Read more 🡒]