James L. Edwards III is keeping the focus on the Knicks’ training camp battles, and there’s plenty to watch before opening night. Jalen Brunson’s surgically repaired wrist is one piece of the picture, while the fight for the 14th roster spot and the possibility of a trade before the season all remain in play.
One name worth tracking is 47th overall pick Tyler Nickel. Edwards notes that he is one of the few 2026 draftees who still hasn’t signed for the 2026/27 season.
If a federal ruling that would give him a fifth year of NCAA eligibility holds up, Nickel could end up making more through an NIL deal in college than on a two-way NBA contract. That raises the possibility that New York could try to clear a path to a standard contract on the 15-man roster instead.
That route would not be simple. Unless the Knicks change course on going past the second tax apron, or unless none of their five veteran camp invitees - Bruce Brown, John Konchar, Ochai Agbaji, Drew Eubanks, and James Wiseman - earn a roster spot, signing Nickel to a standard deal would require a trade. Edwards points to Miles McBride and Pacome Dadiet as the most likely trade candidates, though he says he’d be surprised if McBride is moved before the season starts.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, Brian Lewis of The New York Post looked at which Nets players have the most to prove in 2026/27. His list includes Julius Randle, Michael Porter Jr., Noah Clowney, and Brooklyn’s 2025 first-round picks other than Egor Demin.
Porter and Clowney are in contract years, while Randle can opt out in 2027. Lewis also says Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf were “inconsistent at best” as rookies and need stronger sophomore seasons to show they belong in the team’s long-term plans.
Lewis also argues that general manager Sean Marks will be “under the microscope” next season. The Nets do not control their 2027 first-round pick, and the roster still does not look like a playoff team. That makes the development of young players such as Demin and Mikel Brown Jr. especially important for a front office that has stayed patient through rough draft-lottery luck.
On the Raptors side, one player agent told Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca that he questioned Toronto giving Kawhi Leonard a player option in his new two-year, $115MM extension, calling it a “great deal for Kawhi.” Grange, though, sees the option as something that could work for both sides, since it would give Leonard the chance to opt out in 2028 and sign a new multiyear deal with a lower starting salary, similar to what James Harden did in Cleveland this offseason.
In Other News...
OG Anunoby Gave The Knicks A Tough New Offensive Decision
OG Anunobys playoff run gave the Knicks something they did not have enough of for most of the season: another wing who could bend a defense without breaking the structure around him. His work on the toughest defensive assignments was still there, but the bigger development was on the other end, where he looked comfortable taking on a much larger scoring load and adding a different kind of pressure to New Yorks offense.
The question now is whether that version of Anunoby becomes part of the regular plan next season or remains a postseason luxury. Giving him more chances to create could unlock more for the Knicks, but it also raises the usual concerns about efficiency and how much mileage he can absorb while still handling the defensive burden that makes him so valuable. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Are Counting On Andre Drummond For One Crucial Frontcourt Job
Andre Drummond is the kind of veteran addition that tells you exactly what a team thinks it needs. After Mitchell Robinson left for Boston, the Knicks moved quickly to bring in Drummond on a one-year deal, adding another big body to the frontcourt and another player who can steady a second unit. It is not a like-for-like replacement, and New York is not asking him to be one.
Instead, the Knicks are counting on Drummond to do the sturdier, more defined work that still matters over the course of a season. His value is supposed to come from rebounding, interior defense and dependable minutes off the bench, giving the roster a different kind of presence behind its starters. The challenge is clear enough: New York wants his game to complement what it already has, even as the departure in the middle leaves a spot that cannot truly be filled by one player alone. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A Tough Karl-Anthony Towns Decision Much Sooner Than Expected
The Knicks have spent the offseason weighing how far they want to go to keep Karl-Anthony Towns in New York long term, and the early answer is that this may not be a quick decision. Extension talks have stalled, even though the team has shown interest in keeping him around, and the front office is trying to balance that desire against the realities of a tight salary cap and the broader risk profile that comes with a star in his 30s and a history of injuries.
Towns is already set to make $57 million next season, with a $61 million player option waiting for 2027-28, and the kind of extension available to him could reach four years and $277 million. For the Knicks, the question is no longer just whether Towns fits on the roster, but how much certainty they want to buy now versus how much flexibility they need to preserve later. [Read more 🡒]