The Knicks may be giving a familiar face a real shot to stick.
Josh Brown, Ochai Agbaji and James Wiseman all signed non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 deals this week, and Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post says only one of them appears likely to survive to opening night. That puts Brown in a tight race for a roster spot, but one that could work in his favor if he can recreate the kind of impact Landry Shamet made last season.
Vaccaro points out that New York had interest in Brown at the 2024 trade deadline, when the team tried to pull him in from Toronto. Brown, who already spent two seasons with Brooklyn earlier in his career, was open to coming back to the city, though the sides never found a deal.
“I love New York,” he said at the time. “I hated New York before I lived here, but as soon as I moved here, I loved it. Anytime you want to do something, you can go do it.”
The fit is easy to see. Vaccaro describes Brown’s game as “85% Josh Hart,” and says his value comes from being useful on both ends of the floor. He also notes that Brown could give the Knicks another body on the wing if a player such as Miles McBride eventually has to be moved in a deal for another backup center.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division, former Knicks center Ariel Hukporti is headed to Philadelphia with size that jumps off the page at 7’0″ and 246 pounds. Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice writes that the question is whether Hukporti is ready for a bigger workload.
He has averaged 8.7 and 9.2 minutes per game over his first two NBA seasons, but the Sixers may need more from him if Joel Embiid is sidelined again by injuries. Aaronson says Hukporti’s rebounding rate is encouraging at 14.6 per 100 possessions, though his turnovers remain a problem at 3.7 in that same span.
Toronto, meanwhile, is drawing praise for both a bold trade and a clean-up move. In an offseason recap and early-season preview, Ben Golliver of ESPN said the Raptors not only landed a star in the Kawhi Leonard trade, but also helped themselves by moving Brandon Ingram’s contract to the Clippers. Golliver called that contract shift beneficial, noting that Ingram is owed $40MM this season and $41.9MM in 2027/28.
Zach Kram added another angle on Toronto’s outlook, identifying Collin Murray-Boyles as the team’s X factor and saying he can join Leonard and Scottie Barnes to form an elite defensive trio.
And in Brooklyn, a Brook Lopez reunion is being floated. Ivan White of SI argues that the Nets could make sense as a landing spot if Lopez becomes available, with his $9.2MM expiring deal potentially putting him in play through either a trade or a buyout if the Clippers’ season goes sideways.
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The intrigue picked up when Love attended the KLow Invitational in Toronto and was seen around Raptors personnel, along with the team mascot, a small but notable sign of mutual interest. He is still available a couple of weeks before training camp, and Toronto would need to make any move work on a one-year veteran-minimum deal, leaving the door open without anything close to a commitment. [Read more 🡒]
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Burnett has some appealing traits for a team looking to add depth without much room to maneuver. He brings size, shooting ability and defensive potential, along with championship experience from his college days, which makes him a credible candidate for Torontos final two-way opening if the opportunity materializes. For a team trying to preserve flexibility while still finding useful backcourt help, his path is not hard to understand, even if the final decision is still waiting in the wings. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Now Face Kawhi Question That Could Define This Season
The Raptors have officially processed the Kawhi Leonard trade, and the next phase is already underway as he begins reporting and getting acquainted with the coaching and health staff. For Toronto, the move is not just about adding a proven star, but about building a plan around a player whose availability has long been as important as his production. Leonards recent injury history, including concerns around his knee and quadriceps, makes this a delicate fit from the start.
How the Raptors handle his workload could shape the early part of the season and the broader rotation around him. Leonards past limitations have forced teams to be careful with player management, and Toronto now has to strike the right balance between maximizing his impact and protecting him over the long haul. The talent is obvious, but the question hanging over the season is whether the Raptors can keep him on the floor often enough to make the gamble worthwhile. [Read more 🡒]