The Knicks kept moving on a busy morning of roster churn, using their final two-way opening on guard Jaden Akins.
New York announced the deal in a press release, and Akins now joins Kevin McCullar Jr. and 2026 second-round pick Tyler Nickel as the team’s three two-way players. Those spots had been open for most of the offseason until the Knicks added McCullar and Nickel over the weekend.
Akins, 23, went undrafted out of Michigan State in 2025 after earning All-Big Ten third team and All-Defensive team honors as a senior. He spent his first pro season with the Motor City Cruise, Detroit’s G League affiliate, where he played in 47 games and averaged 15.1 points, 5.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 30.8 minutes per game. He shot .420 from the field, .351 from three and .841 at the line.
This isn’t Akins’ first run with New York. He suited up for the Knicks’ Summer League team in July and then signed and was waived twice before training camp on Exhibit 10 contracts. The two-way agreement makes this the third contract he has signed with the club this month.
The move came amid a larger roster shuffle for New York. The Knicks entered the day with a full 21-man training camp roster, then waived John Konchar and N’Faly Dante and signed and waived Toby Okani. They later filled the two open spots by bringing in Tony Bradley on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract and Akins on the two-way deal, bringing the roster back to a full 21-man group.
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Josh Harts Lingering Injury Just Became A Real Knicks Concern
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The concern now is less about whether Hart can gut it out and more about what comes next. He has said the injurys only surgical fix would be a joint replacement, a route that would effectively end his playing career, so the choice is not a simple one. For a Knicks team that leans on Harts energy, toughness and versatility, his ability to manage the finger while weighing his future adds a real layer of uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Camp Shuffle Just Raised A Bigger Question In The Frontcourt
The Knicks have been busy sorting through the back end of their preseason roster, and the latest moves only add to the churn around camp. Tony Bradley arrived on an Exhibit 9 contract, Jaden Akins was waived to open space for a two-way deal, and Toby Okani landed another non-guaranteed look with the club after signing an Exhibit 10 contract, his second such agreement with New York this month.
The frontcourt shuffle is the part worth watching, especially with John Konchar and NFaly Dante also placed on waivers as the team keeps trimming and adjusting ahead of the season. Konchar and the Knicks had already been heading toward a split after he spent time away from the team this week for a personal matter, leaving New York to keep piecing together a camp group that still has some spots and decisions to settle. [Read more 🡒]
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Harper and Castle also drew a line between that kind of cohesion and the 2012 Oklahoma City Thunder, a team they see as an example of how talent alone does not guarantee the fullest version of success. Their comments, along with personal reflections on the Finals and their own performances, speak to a Spurs team that believes its future is tied to how well its young core can stay connected as the stakes rise. The Knicks will appreciate the compliment, but the real question is whether San Antonio can turn that theory into something even bigger. [Read more 🡒]